Ocean View vows to rebuild

Updated at 4:30 pm

In an emailed statement to The Times, which has also been shared on social media, Ocean View Restaurant owner Mike Santoro expressed his sadness at the loss of the restaurant and his gratitude for the firefighting response.

The Ocean View caught fire Thursday morning and was destroyed. Vineyard firefighters came from across the Island to help the Oak Bluffs Fire Department battle the blaze. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to nearby homes and from exploding the restaurant’s propane tanks, but despite fighting hard there was little they could do to keep the restaurant from ruin. The damage to the restaurant was estimated at “over $1 million,” according to an Oak Bluffs Fire-EMS Department press release issued Friday afternoon. 

“In the aftermath of the Ocean View fire I would like to first thank the firefighters, [EMTS] and police from all the Island towns that fought the blaze,” Santoro wrote. “I was praying for your safe protection during the blaze! I was relieved to hear there were no major injuries. We are so fortunate to have such dedicated men and women who volunteer their time and energy to protect us all. God bless you!!I want to thank all my friends, customers, family and people I don’t even know, sending along their concerns and heartfelt wishes on our loss! I won’t be able to thank you all personally but please know, every message was read and I can’t tell you how touching and comforting it was to receive them! The shock is still real and will take awhile to get over but your support will help moving forward easier! We live in such a great community and for that I am grateful to all!”

Santoro went on to write that he was committed to taking care of his employees and his landlord appears intent on rebuilding the restaurant.

“To my employees,” he wrote, “I am so sorry for the shock you must of all felt as I did when you received the news. The Ocean View is like a community in itself. As I always say you are part of my family and family take care of one another. Please know, you will not be alone and will be taken care of. We will get through this together! I have spoken to our landlord and he has made a commitment to work on getting the Ocean View rebuilt as quickly as possible serving our great customers, friends and our community at large once more!  Again, I am humbled by all the support and blessed to be part of such a great Island community!” 

Speaking with The Times from aboard a plane, Santoro said he had cut short his vacation and was headed back to the Vineyard. Next week he said he plans to have a meeting with the Ocean View staff with an eye toward shifting them to his other three businesses — Fish Bones, the Lookout Tavern, and the Net Result. 

“I have more than enough positions to fill,” he said.

Santoro said “there was no one in the building” when the fire broke out and while the business was closed, it was not under renovation but undergoing a few “punch list” repairs like tile work in the kitchen, replacement of the walk-in condenser, and routine burner cleaning. He said the gas was shut off and everything was unplugged. He said the kitchen appears to have been spared by the fire. He confirmed speaking with the state fire marshal’s office and said they have not made any determinations on the cause of the fire. 

Santoro said he didn’t have any hunches as to what happened. He said his landlord, Charles Hajjar, has been supportive. Speaking with Hajjar and with his employees were his “hardest” phone calls, he said.

Santoro said Hajjar was “just happy no one was in the building.”

Hajjar reiterated that feeling in a telephone conversation with The Times, saying the fact nobody was injured was “A-number one” most important. 

“Buildings can always be rebuilt, which we will do,” Hajjar said. In his 35-year career in real estate, Hajjar said he was fortunate up to now to only suffer two or three property fires which were small by comparison. He described Santoro as a “good tenant” and expected to visit the the remains of the restaurant next week. Hajjar said he previously liked to patronize the Ocean View in the summer. 

Overall, Santoro said, “It’s still stinging.”

“I was emotional yesterday,” he said. His voice then broke and he took a pause. He finished his thought by saying he will probably be “more emotional” when he sees the restaurant.

Updated with comments from property owner Charles Hajjar.