The shows still went on earlier this month at the historic Pickwick Theatre building in downtown Park Ridge despite a small fire in a yoga studio, according to authorities.
On Aug. 4, firefighters were called to the building, in the first block of South Prospect, on a report of smoke in one of the second floor office suites. A fire was discovered in an empty yoga studio.
“The theater has never been closed and we are still in operation,” Pickwick Theatre co-owner David Loomos told Pioneer Press. “Nobody lost any showtime.”
Loomos said the fire occurred in one of the building’s tenant spaces, which was also confirmed by Park Ridge Fire Department Executive Officer Paul Lisowski.
“The fire was in that building but not in the theater itself,” Lisowski said. “This was in an unoccupied yoga studio on the second floor. We determined an unattended candle caused the fire.”
No injuries were reported, Lisowski said.
The fire department received a call from an employee at an insurance company in a neighboring office who smelled smoke, felt the heat on the door of the locked yoga studio and called 911, officials said.
Firefighters arrived on the scene at around 11:34 a.m. and evacuated the second floor of the office building, and the stores below on Prospect Avenue.Lisowski said firefighters forced open the locked door of the yoga studio, saw the fire crawling a wall in a corner near some pillows and cushions. Water was used to extinguish the fire.
Firefighters opened the walls and ceiling to make sure the fire hadn’t spread to other units. Lisowski said it took 15 minutes to extinguish the fire.
“There was no smoke or water damage to the storefronts below or the movie theater, and they were all open for business shortly after the fire was extinguished,” Lisowski said.
Investigators classified the fire as accidental and estimated $25,000 in property damage, according to a post on the fire department’s Facebook page. Commenters on the site expressed relief that the fire was not more serious and, most of all, the theater was not damaged.
The yoga studio registered at that address is Luvvli, and owners were not immediately available for comment.
The Park Ridge Fire Department was assisted on the scene by fire companies from Des Plaines, Morton Grove and Niles, as well as the North Maine Fire Department, officials explained. Additionally, fire crews from the Schiller Park, Franklin Park, Rosemont and Lincolnwood fire departments aided the Park Ridge fire station.
Lisowski said the fire department plans to recognize the 911 caller at an upcoming Park Ridge City Council meeting.
Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.
