Operations & Training

Fire Guts N.C. Restaurant

Dec. 20, 2009

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Firefighters were called to a fire at a South Charlotte restaurant early Saturday morning. The fire caused extensive damage to Avanti and also seven nearby businesses. The Italian restaurant is in the Arboreatum on Providence Road. Charlotte Fire Department Battalion Chief Barbara Beam told Eyewitness News crews at the scene that firefighters weren't called to the business until just before 7:30 a.m. but the fire could have started much earlier.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --

Firefighters were called to a fire at a South Charlotte restaurant early Saturday morning. The fire caused extensive damage to Avanti and also seven nearby businesses.

The Italian restaurant is in the Arboreatum on Providence Road. Charlotte Fire Department Battalion Chief Barbara Beam told Eyewitness News crews at the scene that firefighters weren't called to the business until just before 7:30 a.m. but the fire could have started much earlier.

"A cleaning person on scene from another business down the way said he saw smoke as early as 4:30 this morning," she said.

Investigators have not yet pinpointed a cause of the fire.

Fire Guts South Charlotte Restaurant