Fire in Naperville Restaurant

October 30, 2008
FROM STNG WIRE REPORTS
Two men were burned late Wednesday during an explosion and fire at a west suburban Naperville restaurant.
Emergency personnel responded at 10:53 p.m. to an explosion at Gigi’s Restaurant on the 2700 block of West 111th Street (Hassert Boulevard), Naperville police Cmdr. Joel Truemper said.
Emergency crews work the scene of an explosion Wednesday night at GiGi's Restaurant in Naperville. (Craig Watson/Special to the Naperville Sun) Two men were injured in the explosion. One man was “severely burned” and the other was “walking around.” Both men were believed to be employees and were taken to Edward Hospital in Naperville, Truemper said.
Truemper said six police units and multiple fire trucks remained at the battling the blaze early Thursday. The fire has not been extinguished as of 12:30 a.m. and has already caused substantial damage. The blaze did not spread to nearby stores in the strip mall but smoke damage is expected.
The restaurant’s Web site describes the eatery as a pancake house specializing in lunch and dinner -- especially Greek foods. Owner and host Peter Ladias has more than 30 years of restaurant experience, the site said.
The origin of the explosion was not immediately known and a police and fire task force has been sent to the scene to evaluate the cause and whether the explosion is suspicious.
Emergency crews remained at the scene at 12:45 a.m.