Firefighters were called to the scene of a commercial fire in Knoxville's Old City neighborhood, with the blaze affecting an area close to Kaizen, a popular Asian restaurant located at 127 South Central Street. According to WVLT, the Knoxville Fire Department (KFD) reported that the fire originated on the roof of a building adjacent to the restaurant on Friday night.
Smoke damage incurred by the beloved eatery Kaizen was described as moderate, while the building where the fire ignited suffered more extensively with "moderate fire, smoke, and water damage." In a scenario where any establishment might bristle at the sound of sirens, it was a relief to hear that no injuries were reported amidst the flames and smoke.
In a similar account, WBIR noted the address 129 South Central Street - right next door to Kaizen - as the locus of the disturbance. Callers had alerted KFD to what appeared to be a blaze on the roof of the building, which fire crews could bring under control by 5:35 p.m. This required an "extensive overhaul" due to the challenging location of the fire.
Following the incident, Kaizen informed their patrons of the temporary closure with an Instagram post, citing the fire in the neighboring building as the cause. As per WATE, firefighters tackled a small fire discovered in the void space between the ceiling of the affected business and the building's roof, preventing any potential injuries. In contrast, the surrounding businesses, including the fire-worn Kaizen, bore the smoke's brunt.
