Two restaurants in Portland’s Old Port remain closed after a hood-vent fire damaged the shared building on Commercial Street on Sunday.

Reopening dates for Flatbread Co. and Ri Ra Irish Pub and Restaurant will depend on upcoming city inspections.

The city plans to inspect Flatbread on Thursday morning. The restaurant experienced water and smoke damage, but no structural damage.

Ri Ra experienced structural, water and smoke damage to the roof and hood system. The city said the code enforcement officer will be speaking with the restaurant on Friday about its options.

The restaurants have been closed since a fire broke out Sunday in the hood system at Flatbread, a harborfront restaurant that specializes in wood-fired pizzas made in clay ovens.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Capt. David Nichols of the Portland Fire Department said the damage was mostly contained to the hood system and areas of the roof near the hood’s vents. Nichols said that some of the roof was removed to make sure the fire had not spread.

It took several hours for firefighters to control hot spots, and Portland Fire Chief Keith Gautreau had police close one block of Commercial Street near the Casco Bay Ferry Terminal. Traffic was diverted starting at 1 p.m. and reopened around 4:30 p.m.


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