Fire rips through the Great Caruso dinner theatre

(12/10/06 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- Flames and smoke destroyed a southwest Houston restaurant, one some say was more than just a place to eat. And now fire investigators wonder if someone may have meant to destroy the building.

It didn't take long for the curtain to close on 32 years of dinner theatre history.

"They went in, made a fast attack, couldn't knock it down," said Capt. Raymond Flanley with the Houston Fire Department. "There was too much fire for them. It went to a third alarm."

The Great Caruso restaurant on Westheimer and Seagler has been providing quality dining and entertainment for decades. The source of Sunday morning's fire is still unclear. The building was empty, which clearly raises more than a few red flags for the Houston Fire Department's arson unit.

"When you look at electricity, time of day, if the building's occupied, those are all the things that they look at," said Captain Flanley.

By day, the immense damage was easy to see and as heavy machinery began to tear down the leftovers, people began to realize the restaurant was more than a place to eat.

"People who know Houston know that it's been around for a long time," said Rose Talbot With Richfield Investments. "It's going to be a loss."

The Great Caruso anchored a long standing strip center. Nearby Santos Mexican restaurant was one of several damaged by water and smoke. It's been open for only 18 months.

"We're very blessed to come out of this deal the way we came out of it versus the way other people came out of it," said Rick Forester, owner of Santos Restaurant. "Caruso's been in business for 32 years and everything he's got is gone."

Arson crews are still searching for a cause. They have a number of possibilities to rule out before they can make any determination.

Carusos management declined an on camera interview with us, but other business owners in the area have said they plan to rebuild. That wasn't the only restaurant fire on Westheimer overnight. Firefighters say someone may have set a fire at a vacant restaurant. The fire started just before 1am Sunday morning on Westheimer at Old Farm Road. The building has no utilities and has been shut down for about a year. No one was hurt.
(Copyright © 2006, KTRK-TV)

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