Morning fire damages longtime Hamilton restaurant

A kitchen fire broke out and caused damage at Kostas Restaurant in Hamilton this morning.

Crews were dispatched at about 6 a.m. Tuesday to 221 Court St., according to Butler County dispatchers. There were reports of smoke showing from the roof.

A kitchen employee was the only person in the building, dispatchers said.

Smoke damage was visible on the ceiling when our crew arrived this morning.

The diner first opened in 1950 and reopened under new ownership in November after months of renovations.

Yunhui Bui, the restaurant’s fourth owner, purchased it in January. Young Kim, the restaurant’s previous owner, closed it Sept. 25, 2018, posting a sign to the door that said, “Look for our Return.”

READ MORE: Iconic Hamilton restaurant reopens under new ownership

We’ll continue to update this story as we learn more.

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