Local community members rally to help those impacted by the fire.
A fire broke out in downtown Tulsa that damaged Hodges Bend and Lowood, two popular food and entertainment establishments on Sept. 23.
Crews first responded at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and worked until Sunday afternoon to make sure the fire was completely extinguished. The fire originated in Lowood Modern Woodfire Restaurant and eventually spread, causing fire, smoke and water damage to the whole building including the apartments located on the second floor. The apartments were evacuated and there were no reports of injuries.
There was difficulty for the fire crew when extinguishing the fire due to the construction of the building, according to the Tulsa Fire Department. There were 12 engines, six ladders, three district chiefs and 60 firefighters at the scene according to TFD. Storms came in after the fire started, leaving first responders to deal with both weather and the fire. The roof eventually collapsed, leaving detrimental damage to the whole building.
Cleanup after the fire started Sunday, with the shops being boarded up and the street cleaned. TFD Public Information Officer Andy Little said their preliminary investigation identified the cause of the fire as a vent hood above a stove in the kitchen in Lowood.
A GoFundMe was started by Johnna Hayes, which has surpassed its goal of $20,000. The GoFundMe page says, “We watched last night as our friends’ businesses burned while the rain poured down for hours. It’s time to do what we do and get some funds for these kids who are being displaced in this awful time — there are 75 employees. I’ll run this for a week to start to see what we can get going for them and hope to provide some relief.”
The Lowood Modern Woodfire and Hodges Bend websites put out a statement about the fire, “On Saturday evening, the East End Village was struck with tragedy and our hearts are breaking for our Lowood and Hodges Bend employees as well as for the residents who have been affected by the fire. While we have been struggling this evening and morning, we feel incredibly held by the Tulsa Community. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for the outpouring of love and support you have shown our team. If you have a desire to help our staff, please consider donating to the GoFundMe, set up by Johnna Hayes of 3 Sirens Restaurant Group. If you have a desire to help in our rebuilding efforts, please consider purchasing a gift card.”
Co-owners Noah Bush and John Gaberino have also put out a statement regarding the fire, “Hodges Bend and Lowood remain closed due to a devastating fire that happened on Saturday. We are grateful that everyone was able to evacuate and there weren’t any injuries. Our priority is to support the 55 displaced employees by connecting them with work at our other locations and helping them find opportunities with other organizations who have reached out to offer assistance. Our friend and colleague, Johnna Hayes with 3 Sirens Restaurant Group, has established a GoFundMe to support employees and other community members have established various fundraising efforts to support the displaced tenants living above the restaurants. Additionally, individuals can purchase gift cards on our Lowood and Hodges Bend websites to support the restoration efforts. We are overwhelmed with the outpouring of love from Tulsans, and we are grateful for the heroic efforts of the Tulsa Fire Department. Tulsa fire crews are still monitoring the scene, and while we don’t have details on the full extent of the damage, it is our intention to begin the rebuilding process as soon as possible.”
If you would like to donate to the GoFundMe, you can find the link on the Hodges Bend website at hodges-bend.com and the Lowood website at lowoodtulsa.com.
