3-Alarm Fire Damages Villa Vittoria Restaurant in Brick on Monday

A three-alarm fire on the Fourth of July afternoon the Villa Vittoria Restaurant in Brick has been put out, but the building has suffered damage. No serious injuries were reported.

Photos posted online Monday afternoon showed crews battling the fire near the corner of Hooper Avenue and Mantoloking Road.

Brick Blvd was shut down between Cedarbridge Avenue and Drum Point Road during the height of the fire.

The fire was first reported around 3:30 pm Monday afternoon. Firefighters spent a while trying to break through the roof to vent the structure as onlookers could see flames and smoke higher up in the building, according to Brick Shorebeat.

The fire was put out to just a few hotspots by around 5:30 pm on Monday. Brick Township's fire spokesman Kevin Batzel told the Asbury Park Press that there were no reports of injuries. He told the newspaper that no patrons were inside the restaurant when it caught fire, only employees (all of whom escaped).

Batzel told the Brick Shorebeat that The restaurant did, however, suffer heavy damage in the kitchen and the second level area on top of the kitchen, Batzel told Brick Shorebeat. There was “heavy smoke and water damage throughout the dining room and bar area,” Batzel said.

Brick's Fire Department was assisted by firefighters from Toms River as they worked to control the blaze. The Asbury Park Press reports that one firefighter was taken to the hospital with high blood pressure, but was expected to be fine,