Restaurant Report Denied

Restaurant Report Denied

Downtown restaurant owner L. G. Fenerili today challenged reports in yesterday’s News that his establishment had been "closed’ ’or experienced severe water and smoke damage from a fire Thursday.

Flames raced up through the venting system at the Rubaiyat Restaurant at 339 S. Main St. when fire broke out in a broiler oven in the kitchen. Ann Arbor Fire Chief, Arthur L. Stauch said that the blaze, which started at about 9 p.m., was the sixth fire at the restaurant in the last five years.

Today Fenerli said that although the food inspector from the state had ordered the restaurant temporarily closed, fearful of odors from meat which had ignited on the broiler, the closing order coincided with the Rubaiyat regular end of business operations. "We lost no serving time from fire,'’ and resumed business there yesterday, Fenerli said today.

The owner also refuted fire department claims that extensive damage to the restaurant from fire and water had occurred. “The only item we lost was one kitchen exhaust fan,” Fenerli said.