Columbia Fire Department says downtown Noodles and Co. fire is suspicious
A fire at the South Ninth Street Noodles and Co. from nearly two weeks ago now is treated as suspicious by the Columbia Fire Department.
The cause an origin remains under investigation as of Thursday on the blaze that was reported 7:03 a.m. March 17, where crews found heavy smoke and fire on the restaurant's exterior. Fire crews soon learned the fire had spread to the interior. Crews also noticed cracking on exterior walls during operations, leading to personnel evacuating the building.
It took about 25 minutes to get the fire under control. Fire crews remained on scene to ensure there were no hidden pockets of fire and a building inspection was ordered of the city's Building and Site Development division due to the wall cracks. There were no reported injuries.
The fire marshal's division is asking if anyone was seen in the alleyway near Noodles and Co. from approximately 11:30 p.m. March 16 to 7 a.m March 17. Those with information are encouraged to call CrimeStoppers at 573-875-8477 to remain anonymous.
Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Columbia Fire Department says downtown Noodles and Co. fire suspicious
