Pizza Hut in Holland Township will be closed ‘for some time’ after attic fire

HOLLAND TWP. — Yet another local business has suffered significant damage at the hands of an unexpected fire.

This time, the business was Pizza Hut — located at 294 N. River Ave. According to Michigan Pizza Hut Director of Operations Gayle Kirby, passersby noticed flames coming through the roof after hours on Wednesday, June 15, and alerted authorities.

Postings from bystanders hit local social media groups shortly before midnight. Kirby confirmed the fire started in the attic and was possibly electric in nature.

The restaurant will be closed “for some time” Kirby said, as communications about insurance are ongoing.

“We had a similar event in Coldwater,” she said. “But we had a construction crew at the time. It’ll be about obtaining someone to do a restoration.”

Much of the damage in the building was caused by efforts to extinguish the fire, including pulling down parts of the ceiling. The restaurant also suffered extensive smoke damage, visible through the doors Thursday morning.

Holland is home to two Pizza Hut locations, having lost the location on North Park Drive in 2020. Another location at 1036 S. Washington remains open, as well as a Zeeland location at 237 E. Main Ave.

Pizza Hut is at least the third local business to suffer fire damage in as many months, beginning with Community Restaurant in April (a total loss) and Nelis’ Dutch Village, which lost animals and its pet barn to fire just last week.