(LISTEN): Two-alarm fire in downtown Columbia causes major water damage to Tellers restaurant

By Zimmer Communications
columbia fire station 2
An outside photo of Columbia fire station #2 (2021 file photo courtesy of the Columbia Fire Department)

The popular Tellers restaurant in downtown Columbia says it will be closed until further notice, after Friday afternoon’s two-alarm fire caused major water damage.

Friday’s blaze happened at about 1 in a building believed to be about 100 years old. The building houses the True/False film fest, and Tellers is on the ground level. Columbia Fire Department assistant chief Jeffrey Heidenreich praises the quick response of the 30 CFD firefighters.

“We’re very grateful to have gotten a really great stop on this fire. It was well-involved upon arrival. There was a lot of potential for this to escalate quickly, and I’m proud of our members of the Columbia Fire Department (CFD) today,” Heidenreich tells our news partner KMIZ’s Marina Diaz.

Assistant chief Heidenreich tells KMIZ that firefighters have not determined what caused the blaze. Several firefighters were treated at the scene for heat exposure, according to Diaz.