STROUD TOWNSHIP – Fire Investigators in Stroud Township still don’t know what started a fire Sunday night at a pizza shop. Two businesses were destroyed.
The two brothers who own Munchy’s Pizza just outside Stroudsburg say they had just closed up shop for the night and had gone home. About 45 minutes later, they got the call that their business was on fire and they came rushing back, helplessly watching their hard work go up in flames.
Two brothers and co-owners looked on in disbelief. The shop they saved to open for about six years is now reduced to rubble.
Medhat Kamel says they closed the pizza shop along Route 611 near Stroudsburg for the night, less than an hour before fire crews arrived.
"We closed, me and my brother, and we ran the dishwasher. We went home. Almost 45 minutes after we got a call," said co-owner Kamel.
Stroud Township fire crews were on scene within five minutes of getting the call. Fire officials say an explosion was heard inside the building first and when they arrived, "fire (was) blowing out the whole front side of the building,” said Stroud Township Fire Chief Bruce Owens.
A photo snapped by Stroud Township Fire Crews just as they arrived showed the scene.
For the owners of Munchy’s Pizza it was a tough sight to see.
"I was crying all night yesterday, I was driving, I wanted to get here as soon as possible to check what happened," said Kamel.
The owners of Munchy's Pizza here say they aren't going to let this fire kill their dreams. They plan to rebuild.
"Hope, only hope, hopefully we can rebuild it, especially we just renovated the whole place," said Kamel.
The building’s owner says he has contacted the owner of The Oasis of 611 Salon next to the pizza place. He says she’s out of town but is not expected to reopen at that location.
But for those who like stopping at this pizza joint just off Route 611, the owners hope to clean up quickly.
"Thanks for everyone who supported us, hopefully we were doing a great job, we satisfied them, and hope to see them again when we reopen,” said Kamel.
Although two businesses were destroyed, no one was hurt in the fire. Investigators are still working to determine the cause.