Crime & Safety
Du-par's Damaged in Fire; The Always-Opened Diner Closes For Now
The restaurant, which is usually always opened, is closed pending fire department inspections.
Du-Par's Restaurant in Studio City, which is normally open 24 hours a day, was closed today because of a fire left a male worker with smoke inhalation and damaged the kitchen and an office.
A total of 51 firefighters responded to the blaze at the restaurant at 12036 Ventura Blvd., near Laurel Canyon Boulevard, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The fire, which was reported at 10:57 p.m. Tuesday, was knocked down in 18 minutes, Humphrey said.
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Within minutes, locals were on Twitter:
Kristel Yoneda wrote:
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Dupars in Studio City is on fire! Fire fighters seem to have put it out now, thankfully. (She posted photos on yfrog in the photo gallery above.)
Mary DeChambres:
I just saw flames shooting out of the back of DuPars in Studio City. Lots of fire trucks on the scene.
Crystle Lightning:
Omg! 5 fire trucks, 3 ambulances & news vans in front of #Dupars in#StudioCity. My neighborhood. Hope everything is ok:(
Traycee King:
The smell is overwhelming.. like burnt electrical outlets. Dupars on Ventura might be on fire..
Jason Wojciechowski:
SAVE DUPARS RT @LAScanner STUDIO CITY: LAFD working a fire to the rear of Dupars Restaurant, 12036 Ventura Bl. Getting a quick handle on it.
The injured worker, reported as a manager, was taken to a hospital in good condition, Humphrey said. A news photographer at the scene said the patient identified himself as the restaurant manager.
The fire burned mostly in an outside storage area in the rear of the restaurant, but smoke also damaged the inside, including an upstairs office, Humphrey said.
Damage was also done to the restaurant's kitchen, the photographer reported.
The restaurant will remain closed pending a health department inspection, Humphrey said.
Du-par' has remained opened all holidays all hours of the day.
At the Studio City location, it was a meeting point for the girls in the Valley Girl movie. Wendy Greuel once donned a cap and apron (for the store's anniversary), columnist Mary McGrath once worked there, and David Lynch concieved the bizarre TV show Twin Peaks there.
"We were at Du Par's, the coffee shop at the corner of Laurel Canyon and Ventura and all of a sudden, Mark Frost and I had this image of a body wrapped in plastic washing up on the shore of a lake."
* Click here for Channel 2's video coverage.
* Click here for Channel 4's video coverage.
* Click here for Rick McClure's video.
Stay tuned to updated information as we get it on Studio City Patch.
