JJ's Restaurant at 48th and Belleview Destroyed by Fire

[FangKC]

I'm watching KMBC Channel 9 right now, and it appears JJ's Restaurant, at 48th and Belleview on the Plaza, has been destroyed by fire. The building is totally engulfed in fire, and appears a total loss.

[FangKC]

Early report says it might be a gas explosion.

[FangKC]

http://www.kctv5.com/story/21254467/large-fire

[kboish]

wow, thats a huge fire. hope the whole block doesn't go down. seems like a gas fire the way that is roaring.

[chaglang]

http://www.kmbc.com/news/kansas-city/Wa ... index.html



Looks like that whole row of shops. Burning debris in the street.

Edit: KCFD is calling it a gas explosion. Witnesses heard an explosion. Also some injuries reported.

[FangKC]

http://fox4kc.com/2013/02/19/large-fire ... the-plaza/

[FangKC]

Channel 41 reports a car hit a gas line, and sparked explosion.

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news ... club-plaza

[chaglang]

Jeez, just as JJ's was starting to see the light at the end of the West Edge tunnel.

[taxi]

Very sad. I was driving northbound about 4 blocks from the explosion, on Ward Pkwy. I heard it, saw a plume of smoke, which petered out. When I got to 48th Street a minute or 2 later, the fire was starting to get bigger, there was definitely fire in the middle of the street. I suspected it was JJ's, but didn't want to linger in the midst of the chaos. By the time I got up to the top of the hill at Summit and Westport Rd, the smoke was getting thicker and it just got bigger and bigger as I continued down SW Tfwy towards I-35.

[brewcrew1000]

Will this affect the west edge development

[chaglang]

Will this affect the west edge development

Smoke might stain the precast stone, heat might mean some of the glass will need to be repaired/replaced. Site access was on the Summit side, so that shouldn't be affected.

[loftguy]

I was just told that Jimmy was not at the restaurant.

Diedre was there, roof came down on her but she got out.

[heatherkay]

They'll have to do some serious structural evaluation. I walked in to Westwood Animal Hospital a couple of minutes after the explosion. They thought a car had hit the building, and they're a mile away.

[AllThingsKC]

I'm as close as I can get. There was so much smoke earlier, it looked like I wasn't even in Kansas City. Smoke has since died down some.

We have at least 12 people injured...and at least 3 unaccounted for at this time. Yikes.

[zonk]

Was at jj's last night....Very concerned about those workers & patrons! In Shock!!!

[brewcrew1000]

This has made national news, i have seen it on the front page of fox, cnn and yahoo. Also had family out in cali text me about it

[aknowledgeableperson]

OK TVstation reported it as being in downtown KC.

[IraGlacialis]

This has made national news, i have seen it on the front page of fox, cnn and yahoo. Also had family out in cali text me about it

Popped-up also on the NPR page.

Hope those unaccounted for are alright and that those injured recover in good time. Also hope the businesses will be able to salvage something out of this.

[nota]

This made the news in Indy. Thought about all of you. Hope all of you and yours are OK as well as the injured and missing. Hope there wasn't too much collateral damage and rebuilding will be able to commence in a timely manner.

k

PS-gas explosions are really scary for sure. They are just now beginning to rebuild from the one in Indy a few months ago. Takes a long time.

[Joe Smith]

They'll have to do some serious structural evaluation.

That's one way to put it.