Beloved restaurant in Philadelphia's Chinatown forced to shut down due to electrical hazard
A well-known restaurant in Chinatown has been forced to shut down. The Department of Licenses and Inspections said the restaurant can't reopen until the electrical and fire panels are repaired.
The Water Department said it is working with L&I and Vicinity Energy to investigate and resolve this complaint.
Cell phone video showed beads of water dripping from the basement ceiling, and steam pouring into Sang Kee Peking Duck House in the heart of Chinatown. The general manager, who took the video, told CBS News Philadelphia it's a major problem the restaurant has been trying to get fixed for months.
"I'm scared to death, this is my family's whole livelihood. This is what we do, this is what we've done forever," said Henry Chow.
Chow says the restaurant is one of the oldest in Chinatown. His parents opened Sang Kee in 1980.
On Friday, the restaurant on North Ninth Street was shut down by L&I and Inspections for what they called an electrical hazard caused by a damaged steam pipe under the sidewalk.
Just days before, Chow said he contacted the city again when more steam started coming in the building. Inspectors said the moisture damaged the restaurant's electrical panel and made the fire alarm system inoperable.
"This has been a long ordeal where we've been working with so many utility companies coming in and out. Dozens and dozens of people saying there's a problem here," said Chow, who added no one can pinpoint what the problem is.
Vicinity, a company that operates steam pipes in the city, said they "continue to work with the Philadelphia Water Department and business owner to do a root-cause analysis."
On Saturday, temporary steam vents were installed above ground outside the restaurant.
"We've been coming here for a couple of years, every time we go to the Christmas Village we come here to eat," said Kathy Ference, who was turned away Saturday night with her family.
Chow says his family's business is now at stake, and he just wants the problem fixed.
"We're losing money by the day and what's more scary, we have a lot of employees and they've been calling and texting, 'Hey, do we have jobs?' And I don't know the answer. I really don't know the answer," Chow said.
