Steamboat Pilot & Today

Small fire causes damage, closes Eighth Street

A small fire that broke out Wednesday inside the wall of a downtown restaurant caused little damage but blocked Eighth Street during the height of afternoon traffic.

At about 5 p.m., workers at the Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, 628 Lincoln Ave., reported a fire inside a wall behind one of the restaurant's stoves. Workers had noticed the smell and the stainless steel stove-back beginning to bulge from the wall, Steamboat Springs Assistant Fire Chief Bob Struble said. They tried to turn off the gas line to the stove, but it was too hot, and the plastic turn-off handle had melted, he said. The restaurant was evacuated.

Fire crews were able to turn off the gas main into the building and chose to fight the fire from outside to cause less damage, Struble said. Putting out the fire required breaking about a half-dozen cinderblocks in the restaurant's exterior wall.

Because the closest fire hydrant was at Eighth Street and Lincoln Avenue, firefighters shut down Eighth Street for about a half hour while using the hose, Struble said.

The fire appeared to have started with a gas line in the wall that ran to the stove, Struble said.

Chamber wants event information for calendar

The Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association is asking for event information to be included in the winter calendar of events. The calendar includes events for November 2005 through April 2006. Information submitted will be available on both Chamber Web sites, and in the Winter Visitor's Guide, publications providing visitor information about Steamboat Springs, various community maps, news-media publications, press releases and in mail distributed throughout the summer. The deadline for submitting information for the Visitor's Guide calendar is Aug. 26. Visit www.steamboatchamber.com or call 879-0882.

Art on the Mountain festival is this weekend

The Fourth Annual Art on the Mountain festival, featuring a variety of Yampa Valley and surrounding area artisans, entertainment and activities for all ages, will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in Gondola Square.

Bereavement support group to meet again

Mending A Broken Heart, a bereavement education and support group sponsored by Hospice and the Visiting Nurse Association, will resume meetings this month. The group will meet from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays, beginning Aug. 11 and ending Sept. 1. Anyone grieving the death of a loved one is encouraged to attend. The meetings will take place at the offices of the VNA. Please call Katy Thiel at 871-7628 before attending the first meeting.

Habitat for Humanityneeds volunteers

Routt County Habitat for Humanity is building a duplex at 2940/2942 Abbey Road in West End Village. Volunteers are needed on weekdays and weekends to help build these duplexes for two deserving families. All skill levels are welcome, including service and/or food donations. Groups are welcome. Please contact Habitat at 871-6101 for more information.