Fire rips through nearly 300-year-old tavern in Mendham
The historic Black Horse Tavern & Pub was closed for renovations when a fire broke out early Monday morning.
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An early morning fire in Mendham tore through one of New Jersey's oldest and most historic restaurants Monday.
Firefighters arrived at the historic Black Horse Tavern & Pub at approximately 3:50 a.m., after received calls for a fire alarm. The restaurant - which has been in operation for nearly 300 years - was closed for renovations when the fire broke out. According to an online statement from the fire department, crews arrived to find a heavy smoke condition and quickly requested mutual aid from neighboring towns.
First responders spent more than two hours battling the blaze before checking the building for hot spots to ensure that the fire was completely extinguished. The building was unoccupied when the flames erupted and no injuries were reported, according to the fire department.
According to its website, The Black Horse Tavern and Pub is the state's "oldest and continually running restaurant dating back to 1742." The restaurant has been closed since March for renovations including a new kitchen, the owners said on Facebook. They were set to reopen this fall, but it's unknown whether the fire damage will force them to change this date.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
