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June 4, 2008

Projection equipment spared in Rustic Drive-In fire

NORTH SMITHFIELD -- A fire that broke out today in a two-floor building at the Rustic Drive-In -- Rhode Island's only drive-in theater -- damaged the first-floor concessions area but not the second-floor projection room, according to officials.

It is not clear whether the theater will be able to keep to its regular Friday through Sunday showtimes schedule this weekend.

Joel Jillson, chief of the North Smithfield Fire and Rescue Service, said the fire, which has been put out, started at about 11:49 a.m. in the first-floor kitchen of the concession stand.

The fire, which was reported by a neighbor who saw smoke, was brought under control in about 45 minutes. Jillson said firefighters were able to prevent it from spreading to the second floor and the projection room.

The Rustic has a Friday through Sunday showtimes schedule, but Jen Chenail of the Boston Culinary Group, which owns the theater, said it is not clear whether the theater will be open as scheduled this Friday.

"We're waiting," she said. "We've got to see what they tell us and go from there."

Town building inspector Robert Benoit said damage had been limited to a few roof rafters and wall studs. He said the building was structually sound.

Fire damage was confined to one corner behind the concessions stand, though the entire concessions area was covered with pink insulation that firefighters had pulled down while putting out the blaze.

The two-story cinderblock building is centrally located in the Rustic's parking area, roughly equidistant from the three movie screens. The theater on Route 146 has been around since the early 1950s.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 4:03 PM | Permalink

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