Long-time customers heartbroken after South Jersey diner closed until further notice due to overnight fire
It's famous for its tasty food and friendly service, but a staple in South Jersey is now closed until further notice after a fire tore through the kitchen.
"I'm heartbroken," Elizabeth Szymanski said. "I was like, no, it can't be the Westmont Diner, we were just there last night."
You can call Szymanski a regular at the Westmont Diner. She's there twice a week, and even stopped by Wednesday morning after learning one of her favorite eating spots is closed until further notice after an overnight fire.
"I hope this is definitely not permanent. I get the senior Benedict, which is awesome, but they also have really good everything, breakfast, lunch, and dinner," she said.
Loyal customers were met with a note taped to the door, which explained the reason the diner is closed, and said, "Thankfully no one was hurt, and the damage was minimal."
According to the Westmont Fire Company, the call came in around 1:20 a.m. on Wednesday. The fire was contained to the kitchen and roof area above the kitchen, and it was placed under control in about 20 minutes.
The closure caught Tom Wilkie by surprise.
"I pulled up, parked the car, and it's like doors locked. What's going on? I looked inside it's dark," Wilkie said.
The owners also posted on social media that the damage requires them to pause operations while they make repairs.
About five years ago, the Westmont Diner moved from Haddon Avenue to its current location on Cuthbert Boulevard.
"This was the Crystal Lake, it's been many variations, but I've been coming here since I was young," Paul Rogers said.
A fire gutted the Crystal Lake Diner at the same location back in 2014.
As investigators now work to learn what caused this latest blaze, customers said they hope the closure doesn't last very long.
"I just hope they open really quickly. They have a great clientele, great food, and service, and just looking forward for them getting back up and running to serve the community," said Roy Coco, who is also a regular customer.
Officials with the diner posted online that they are hoping the closure will only be for a few weeks, but it could be longer.
