Fire Guts Old Le Virage Restaurant Building

An early morning fire gutted the building that used to house the Le Virage restaurant on North Main Street.

The blaze began about 4:30 a.m. Saturday. Flames were pouring out of the front windows and doors when Contra Costa County Fire Protection District firefighters arrived.

Battalion Chief Dominic Ciotola said it took 90 minutes to get the fire under control because the facility is an old brick building with numerous additions.

No one was found inside the building and no firefighters were injured.

The cause is being investigated. Ciotola said there was no power to the building, so electrical malfunction has been eliminated as a cause.

The multiple alarm fire brought three engines and two ladder trucks to the scene.

Le Virage closed in 2005 and the building has been vacant since then.

Firefighters were still mopping up hot spots after 9 a.m.

Police had closed off the southbound lanes of North Main Street near Parkside Drive.

Thanks to Patch reader Tom Lewenz for sending in a photo of the fire scene.

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