BELMONT, MASS. (WHDH) - A beloved ice cream shop in Belmont was destroyed by fire Thursday morning, according to Belmont Fire Chief David DeStefano.
Belmont Fire responded to Moozy’s Ice Cream on Trapelo Road after a man driving by called 911 reporting smoke in the building at approximately 4:31 a.m. When crews arrived, they said they found heavy smoke inside the building.
Officials say the fire started in the basement and crews had a hard time accessing it because the floor started to give way. Crews then started to fight the flames from the outside.
Belmont fire officials said no one was injured, but workers and residents said they’re devastated to see a local staple go up in flames.
Dante Muzzioli opened Moozy’s Ice Cream in 2012.
“It’s kind of a happy place for a lot of people in Belmont. It’s my happy place, too, except for today, obviously. It’s kind of sad,” Muzzioli said. “We had a nice outside area, people sit around at night.”
People who live in the area stopped to watch as firefighters worked to put out the flames.
“We come here after games, we come here after concerts, we come here after dance recitals,” said Kara Sassone, a Belmont resident. “As they’re banging the benches, all I could think was, ‘gosh, my kids grew up on those benches.’ I have pictures of them from toddlerhood all the way up until, gosh, last week.”
Other business owners who share the building said they are concerned about the damage.
“Bridesmaid dresses, graduation, I don’t know how I’m going to deal with this,” said Vasken Ajoian, Owner of Jacques Tailoring.
“A couple of engagement rings that he was working on and promised they’d be done by June, now we don’t know,” said Susana Arustamyan, Owner of GVS Jewelers. “Our promise is promise, we have to keep our word people waiting for engagement rings.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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