Mastic restaurant Manor House destroyed in morning fire, officials say

A Mastic restaurant destroyed by an early morning fire Sunday is being investigated by Suffolk County police arson detectives and the Brookhaven Town fire marshal’s office.

There were no injuries and no one was inside the Manor House restaurant, at 1443 Montauk Hwy., when the fire began, authorities said.

As a result of the blaze, Montauk Highway was temporarily closed between Lambert and Fulton avenues but has reopened, police said.

The fire started about 5:05 a.m., police said. A spokesman for Suffolk County Fire Communications said the blaze was battled for more than two hours and was declared under control at 7:11 a.m.

Firefighters from Mastic, Mastic Beach, Brookhaven, Yaphank, East Moriches, Eastport, Ridge, Manorville, Bellport and Center Moriches responded.

Patrick Simone, who lives on Vernon Avenue four blocks from the restaurant, saw the flames engulfing Manor House.

“I was out this morning getting a cup of coffee at 5 a.m. and I smelled burning plastic and smoke,” Simone said. “I didn’t know where it was coming from so I just followed the smoke and sirens.”

Simone said Manor House was a popular establishment in the village because it served good food and had a great atmosphere. The blaze is a loss for the restaurant owner, Simone said, and its employees, who had anticipated receiving big tips from patrons watching Sunday night’s Super Bowl.

“It’s a tragedy within itself, but you also gotta look at it from a business perspective,” he said. “I was going to go there for drinks and burgers for the Super Bowl tonight, but now I gotta figure out something different to do.”