HAZLEWOOD, Mo. — A Christmas Eve fire wreaked havoc on Tony’s Donuts, forcing the famous Hazelwood donut shop to close for repairs.
Firefighters said no one was injured, but Tony’s Donut Cafe is now closed and investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.
“It’s difficult to deal with [and] said Kathleen Badra, owner of Tony’s Donut Shop in Hazelwood.
Firefighters responded to Toney’s Christmas Eve late night and encountered heavy smoke coming from the building.
“It’s just heartbreaking. It’s really hard,” Bardella said. “It’s been a part of my life since I was a baby. It’s all I’ve ever known. I’m thankful we have this store so we have a place for our Hazelwood community to get out and come here.”
Fire officials said there was extensive smoke and water damage inside.
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“I was very sad on Christmas Day,” Bardella said. “We were actually closed that day; [one of few] The rest days of the year are one of them. Fortunately, no one was present and no one was injured. “
Tony’s Donuts and Café has been family-owned and operated since 1995, serving generations of families. The Hazelwood store will remain closed as repair work begins, but the Maryland Heights store on Dorsett Road remains open, the store owner said.
“We’ve never experienced anything like this in all these years, so we’re just trying to figure out what to do and how to allow our employees to still be a part of the Tony family,” Bardella said.
Customers say Tony’s is more than just a place to grab donuts. This is a staple in the neighborhood.
“I wanted to buy some donuts this morning, but I heard it caught on fire last night,” Laura Reubbelke said. “I just wonder if that’s true and it’s sad. The donuts here are really good and the sandwiches are good. They’re the best.”
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“We couldn’t stop raving about how amazing Tony’s is, in fact when we ordered we just learned they had a fire yesterday which is so sad,” said Justin Lewis. “My first time here and it was amazing.”
“I just didn’t expect it to be this big. From the outside, the building looks perfect, but when you walk in, everything is damaged. There’s nothing that can be saved. So we just have to tear it down and rebuild it,” Badla said.
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Fire officials told Fox 2 the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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