Heavy fire damages Sparta Classic Diner, will remain closed 'temporarily'

An overnight fire significantly damaged a renowned diner in Sparta early Friday morning, the township fire department said in a Facebook post.

The Sparta Classic Diner on Woodport Road caught fire just before midnight, the post said. When firefighters arrived, the kitchen was heavily involved and flames were coming through the roof, the fire department said.

"It's heavily damaged in the kitchen," fire Chief Justin Muldoon said. "That's where most of it was concentrated, the rest of the building had smoke damage."

Muldoon wasn't sure if the building would need to be torn down, but said the building department was going to inspect the structure.

The fire was knocked down just before 1 a.m., and the scene was cleared at 2:23 a.m. No one was injured in the fire, but a firefighter was treated on scene for heat exhaustion.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, Muldoon said.

Fire crews from Andover, Ogdensburg, Hardyston and Jefferson also responded to the scene.

Sparta Classic Diner opened in 2012 and is family-owned.

"Whether it be locally sourced produce, grass-fed beef, gluten sensitive options, or house-baked desserts, we make every possible item from scratch and with the wellness of our guests in mind," the diner's website says. "We never rest on our laurels and we constantly push ourselves to improve and innovate for our guests every day."

An update posted on the restaurant's website said it will be closed temporarily due to the fire.

This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Sparta NJ fire heavily damages local family-owned diner