ROANOKE, Va. – Cleanup is underway at the City Market building in downtown Roanoke after Friday’s fire. The fire chief says the fire started in the ventilation system above Fork in the Market.
Officer Ruiz was on patrol downtown when he noticed smoke coming from City Market. He rode to Fork in the Market to check out the scene.
“They appeared to be unaware that there was smoke coming out from the roof above them. People were still enjoying their meals and beverages. The staff was still waiting on patrons. I went in and let everyone know there was a fire actively on the roof,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz called for help, and he and another off-duty officer were able to get everyone out of the building safely. Ruiz says the quick response is a clear example of why the bike patrol is so vital for downtown.
“It’s critical. It’s one of the main reasons we use our bicycles. We’re able to get places quickly and navigate through traffic to respond to places where patrol vehicles may not be able to get in a timely manner,” he said.
In a Facebook post, Fork In The Market thanked the community and first responders for their support. It will be closed for at least the next few days as cleanup continues.
Other restaurants in the market have reopened.
“We’re protected by firewalls, and so the fire was contained, so we were blessed that way that we didn’t have any issues here. Scrambled is fine,” said Garry Fleming, co-owner of Scrambled.
But Fleming says the fire is still a concern.
“I worry about their employees not being able to work. I don’t know how long it’s going to be before they can reopen. It looks pretty bad in there,” he said.
The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.