No one from the restaurant was injured, according to Katy Russ, a communications representative for Perla’s. Russ said the cause cannot be determined at this time.
Austin Fire Department responded to a call at 6:14 p.m. Sunday and responded within four minutes, the agency said in a statement on Tuesday. One firefighter received treatment for minor heat-related issues but returned to work after receiving fluids, the statement said.
It took nearly two hours to extinguish the fire, which affected every floor of the building, according to Tara Long, a spokesperson for the department.
“It took approximately two hours to extinguish the fire, which started in the vent hood system before traveling upward through the roof,” the department said. “The response required crews to open up void spaces that were concealing flames which took extra time.”
The fire department said there is no damage estimate at the time.
Perla’s is currently working to assess the extent of the damage but hopes to reopen promptly, Russ said, but it will be closed indefinitely until repairs are made.
In an Instagram story, Perla’s said it will be closed Monday for “unforeseen circumstances” and apologized for the inconvenience.
The restaurant, at 1400 S. Congress Avenue, offers lunch, dinner and brunch daily, and is known for its fresh flown-in seafood and oak-shaded patio. The Statesman named the restaurant the newcomer of the year in 2012.
Perla’s was founded in 2009 by Chefs Larry McGuire and Tom Moorman Jr. It’s owned by MML Hospitality, which owns and manages more than a dozen restaurants in Austin, Colorado and California.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to include a Tuesday statement from the fire department.
Dining and Cooking