Firefighters Respond to Fire at Cedar Rapids Long John Silver’s

Cedar Rapids Firefighters were called to the 2600 block of Williams Blvd. SW just before 8:20 this morning, after a fire was reported at the Long John Silver's restaurant. It also caused the closure of Williams Blvd.

When fire crews from several Cedar Rapids fire stations arrived on the scene, they found smoke from the upper level of the building in several locations. Once inside, firefighters confirmed no one was inside the building, and found and extinguished a fire in the kitchen.

Firefighters also spent time on the roof of the building this morning.

Williams Blvd. was reopened shortly after 9 a.m. Firefighters say the fire is still under investigation and a damage estimate is not yet available.

It's not known how long Cedar Rapids' only Long John Silver's restaurant will be closed. The restaurant chain, founded in Lexington, Kentucky in 1969, has had a presence on Williams Blvd since the 1970s. An east-side location on 1st Ave., across the street from the Town and Country Shopping Center, closed in June 2014. The building at 3801 1st Ave. S.E. is now home to Taco Depot II.