Authorities say a Monday night fire that damaged a popular eatery on St. Paul’s East Side was likely accidental.
Crews went to Magnolias about 7:30 p.m. on a report of an alarm sounding. When they arrived at the restaurant near the intersection of Payne Avenue and E. Magnolia Avenue, they saw heavy smoke coming from the roof, said St. Paul Fire Department spokesman Roy Mokosso.
Firefighters entered the building and extinguished a large fire in the kitchen, Mokosso said.
No one was in the building at the time of the fire. No injuries were reported. Mokosso said.
The neighborhood restaurant serving “comfort food for the whole family” opened in January 1984 in a building that once housed a White Castle, according to the eatery’s website. The owners said they put an ad in a newspaper two weeks after opening, and “we have been busy ever since.”
“We are getting an overwhelming response; unfortunately Magnolias did have a fire tonight,” the staff wrote in a social media post late Monday. “We don’t know much at all right now, but will keep you all updated Thank you for your continued support.”
The restaurant known for its fried chicken and reasonably-priced home cooked dinners remained closed Tuesday.
The preliminary fire investigation indicates the fire is most likely accidental, Mokosso said.
