LAWRENCE, Kan. — Crews will demolish a popular Lawrence restaurant after it was heavily damaged in a fire earlier this month.
The Lawrence Historic Resources Commission unanimously voted Dec. 21 to approve the demolition of the Cielito Lindo Mexican restaurant on New Hampshire Street due to its unsafe condition.
The historic building, built in 1976, caught fire late Dec. 13, and crews spent several hours working to put the fire out.
The Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Department said the roof and floors of the restaurant collapsed. One firefighter suffered a minor injury while fighting the fire. No one else was hurt.
The next day, a Lawrence code official deemed the building as dangerous.
City crews set up various fencing and barricades around the area. Officials said they don’t believe the building could collapse anymore but wanted to take precautions and ensure no one entered the building.
Last week, a Lawrence official met with a third-party engineer at the restaurant, but due to excessive debris, they couldn’t safely enter.
Photos presented to the Historic Resources Commission show the collapsed ceiling and other areas with significant smoke damage.
Lawrence officials have not released any information on the cause of the fire.