Since the fire on October 16, the downtown Andover restaurant Sauce has been closed to the public.
A fire started in downtown Andover, causing over one million dollars in damages to restaurants 15sx, Daxi, and Sauce Wings and Burgers on October 16. The fire department was called to the scene around 4 a.m by a neighbor who noticed the smoke, according to Fire Chief Michael Mansfield in an interview with “The Eagle-Tribune.”
In his interview with “The Eagle-Tribune,” Mansfield explained that the fire likely started in an area without sprinklers, but was unable to release the precise location while the investigation was still ongoing. Mansfield continued that the fire had been burning for a while prior to the fire department’s arrival. The fire department did not respond to calls from The Phillipian.
During the fire, the ceiling of the building caved in, causing wreckage within the restaurant. The restaurant is temporarily closed due to the fire damage, and its doors have been boarded.
Since 2012, Sauce Wings and Burgers has been a restaurant in Andover’s downtown area, serving local community members and students alike. Josh Espinoza ’25 was sad in hearing the news, but remains hopeful for the restaurant’s recovery.
“I am really sad because their burgers were incredible. I hope that Sauce can come back at some point,” said Espinoza.
McKenzie Williams ’24 had eaten food from Sauce Wings and Burgers at an Af-Lat-Am event at Andover. The restaurant, according to Williams, was very special.
“My family went to Sauce for the first time this [past] weekend, and it burnt down right after, so I was really sad. Sauce was very important to the Andover community. I remember it sponsored an Af-Lat-Am event my freshman year so I was devastated to hear it burnt down,” said Williams.
Despite never having been to Sauce Wings and Burgers, Angelica Paniagua ’24 expressed her sorrow for the ownership as a result of the fire damage.
“I’ve never been to Sauce, but I’ve heard really good things about it. It’s sad a restaurant burned down, no matter which one,” said Paniagua.
