Emergency Crews Respond to Fire at Downtown State College Waffle Shop

Emergency responders were on the scene of a fire Tuesday night at the Waffle Shop in downtown State College.

Alpha Fire Company and State College police were dispatched to the restaurant at 364 E. College Ave. after a smoke alarm notification at about 8:40 p.m. Heavy smoke was visible when police first arrived on the scene, Alpha Fire Company Assistant Chief Rusty Schreiner told Onward State.

Alpha crews found a fire at the rear stairwell and checked for extension in the building and nearby properties, Schreiner said. The fire was marked under control by 9 p.m., according to county dispatch.

“The building has some smoke damage, but right now we’re still assessing,” Schreiner said.

The restaurant is closed until further notice, according to a post on its Facebook page.

“Luckily, there were no injuries and we’re so thankful to the Penn State students who aided in contacting authorities during this sad event,” the post reads. “Thank you to the Alpha fire company and other local responders who came to our aid this evening.”

When and how the fire started was not yet clear. The Centre Region fire marshal and Centre Region Code Administration were also dispatched to the scene.

Boalsburg Fire Company was dispatched but was redirected en route to stand by at the Alpha station.

The Lion’s Den, located nearby at 118 S. Garner St., was evacuated.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.