The Root in Lloydminster is hoping smoke damage won’t keep them closed for long.
On Monday, Feb. 19, a furnace malfunction caused a fire at the downtown restaurant in the evening. Owner Hannah Bexson says that she was about to fall asleep when she got a call that her restaurant had been filled with smoke.
“The fire department hasn’t given me their official report yet, but it looks like maybe a fan or something overheated and started a fire. All the electrical wires are all melted and burned up the walls so something got really hot and started the little fire in there.”
Bexson says that the tenants upstairs were the ones who called the fire department after smelling burning plastic and noticing a little smoke.
“I was in shock pretty much just not really knowing what to expect because everyone just saw smoke, but they didn’t really know what had happened.”
Bexson who has owned the business since March 2017 says despite seeing a lot of smoke at the venue when she arrived there wasn’t a lot of physical damage done. However, there will be an overhaul of the space from the floors to the ceilings.
“Pretty much everything will be cleaned and resurfaced. They’ve taken the ceiling tiles out already, the floor is likely gonna have to be ripped up and everything will be repainted. It’s going to be a pretty big renovation.”
The space will be closed for at least a few weeks so all the renovations can be completed. Bexson says it’s disappointing because they’ve had events planned for the next few weeks, including a Mardi Gras Fundraiser. However, most events will be rescheduled, but she says it’s a let down for the bands that were passing through town because they will be missed by the venue.
Bexson is hoping The Root will be open for St.Patrick’s Day in March.
