Thursday, 4:30 PM
Fire destroys Waltham convenience store, restaurant
By April Yee
Globe Correspondent
WALTHAM -- Dwight Andersen, a Waltham firefighter, was nearing the end of a 24-hour overtime shift when the alarm rang around 5 a.m. this morning. A convenience store and family restaurant were ablaze on Main Street.
Shortly after Andersen arrived on the scene, he learned that two firefighters had fallen through a floor and plunged 10 feet into the basement. Andersen was lowered into the burning building, and pulled the two men to safety. Neither was injured, but they were rushed to Newton-Wellesley Hospital to be treated for exhaustion.
The fire destroyed much of the interior of California Convenience Store, as well as Sal's Family Restaurant, a Waltham institution that has served up American chop suey and fish and chips to regulars for 41 years.
This morning, family and neighbors crowded behind the yellow police tape at the intersection of Newton and Main streets. Salvatore Pinzone, 79, the owner of Sal's, said he had just finished building a bar that he had hoped to open this fall.
A woman stopped by the scene, where firefighters still worked into the afternoon, and offered her sympathy to Pinzone.
He kissed her hand, and said, "Pazienza."
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