According to a spokesperson for the German Village spot, investigation into the recent fire at the popular Thurman Cafe has taken a turn. Investigators who originally believed the devastating blaze was the result of an electrical malfunction are now considering the possibility of spontaneous combustion, said Aaron Suclescy, a member of the owners’ family and spokesperson for the restaurant.
The popular hamburger restaurant, begun by the Suclescy family in 1942, is a German Village destination for both locals and tourists – owing in part to its giant “Thurmanator” sandwich and national recognition on food-related television programs like Man vs Food.
Customers and employees alike were sent scrambling in the early afternoon of Sunday, April 12, when flames that were first noticed at the rear of the restaurant at 183 Thurman Ave. threatened to consume the entire building. Due, perhaps, to the age of the diner, the fire at first was believed to be electrical in nature. Now, Suclescy said, investigators have turned their attention to soiled cleaning rags that were stored behind the restaurant…