Community Corner
Partial Roof Collapse Forces Pizza Hut to Close
Restaurant will be closed for at least 30 days
The on Main Street in West Orange won't be serving customers for at least the next month after the building's roof collapsed and forced the restaurant to close down.
Harry Harnett, Chief Operating Officer of ADF Companies that owns and operates the local Pizza Hut, said the roof of the third floor collapsed onto the second floor Friday afternoon, causing several ceiling tiles to fall on the ground floor of the building where the Pizza Hut is located.
Yellow caution tape surrounds the now empty and dark store front. Two bright signs plastered on the front door by township officials declare the building an unsafe structure due to flooding and ban occupancy.
Harnett said none of his employees were injured during the incident and that the top two floors were unoccupied.
The collapse caused water to rush in to the ground floor, he said. "The manager thought the roof was leaking and was on the phone when the fire department arrived," he said, adding that the water must have triggered the fire alarm.
Harnett said the incident will amount to more than $100,000 in damages as water damage was sustained to the walls and the ovens.
Harnett said he hopes to reopen the store within 30 days.
Fire officials said the partial roof collapse was still under investigation.
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Pizza Hut has been operating on 180 Main Street since 1992. ADF Companies purchased the franchisee in 1999. The company owns and operates hundreds of restaurants in 11 states under franchise agreements with Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell.
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