A fire ripped through the Lighthouse Restaurant in Dewey Beach last night, causing significant damage.
Firefighters from Rehoboth, Bethany and Lewes arrived on the scene after 10:00 pm to find a two-story blaze at the site of the popular local eatery and watering hole at 124 Dickinson Street, currently closed for a complete renovation. There were no reported injuries and firefighters were on the scene for more than three hours.
The iconic Lighthouse complex – long known as the host of the summer ritual “Taco Toss” – is in the midst of a major, multi-year redevelopment that includes the upscale Residences at Lighthouse Cove, a Hyatt Place hotel and the new Lighthouse restaurant that was slated to open for this summer.
The complex’s owners, Lighthouse Cove Development Company, issued a statement this morning saying they were “devastated” by news of the fire and thanking local firefighters and first responders for their efforts in protecting life and further damage to the property. The statement said the “majority of the damage was confined to the restaurant” and that other structures in the complex “remain intact.” The full statement is below.
There is no information on the cause of the blaze and the Delaware State Fire Marshal’s office is investigating.
We are devastated by the news of last night’s fire at the Lighthouse Restaurant in Dewey Beach. Thankfully, the majority of the damage was confined to the restaurant, and the remainder of the redevelopment, including the Hyatt Place hotel, Residences at Lighthouse Cove, and Lighthouse Cove Event Center, remain intact. Most importantly, there were no injuries sustained.
We are grateful for the incredible work displayed by our local firefighters and first responders in containing and preventing further damage to the property. The response was met by dedicated fire companies from Rehoboth Beach, Lewes, and Bethany Beach. This is a developing situation with limited details. We look forward to working with the State Fire Marshal’s office to investigate this terrible loss.
We are greatly appreciative of all the support we have received during this difficult time and will share more information at the appropriate time.
Lighthouse Cove Development Company
Photos courtesy of Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company.
