Fire department uses final fish fry of season to raise money for Elrama Tavern employees
JEFFERSON HILLS, Pa. (KDKA) -- A Good Friday fish fry was held at the Floreffe Fire Hall in Jefferson Hills to help more than a dozen employees who lost their jobs and personal items after a fire at Elrama Tavern.
The decades-old bar and restaurant caught on fire on March 31.
"In one second, like I opened the back door and there was just, I could not see the first chair on the deck. We were on fire," said Susie Grimm, owner of Elrama Tavern.
Twenty-seven employees worked at the tavern that had been open since 1995.
"Anyone that was in the building, there were six of us, we did lose all of our belongings that were on us. So, you don't have a driver's license or a credit card. So, it is a hardship," Grimm said.
"I lost my purse, phone, keys. Part of my car got damaged. Two of my coworkers, both of their cars are completely gone," said Lauren Tatton, a bartender at Elrama Tavern.
Cars wrapped around the fire hall on Friday and a line of people ready to support the employees were waiting outside the door. Grimm said more than 750 fish sandwiches were sold within the first hour.
"The community is very much behind them because they're a very big part of the community," said Bob Hahner, a community member and friend of Grimm.
Hahner said his family is very close with Grimm and is still in disbelief about what happened.
"They couldn't even get their purses or their phones or anything. All their personal stuff is gone," Hahner said. "I drove down (to the bar) pretty quickly, and Susie was in shock, you could tell. The whole building was incinerated. I mean, there was nothing left."
During the fish fry on Friday, baked goods and keepsake items were also on sale, along with an auction to raise money.
"It's absolutely amazing. The amount of support and businesses and customers, people who have honestly never been to the tavern. We've been seeing a lot of old faces, new faces. It's overwhelming," Tatton said.
Tatton said she worked at the bar for nearly 12 years and said the event will help her family rise from the ashes.
"I have two kids. This will help me jump back on my feet until I can find another job. It will help pay for bills and take care of my kids," Tatton said.
Grimm said the fish fry alone raised about $15,000 for the Elrama Tavern employees, and another $11,000 was raised by the community through a GoFundMe page. Totals from the auction and bake sale are not in yet. Grimm said the money will be split between them all.
It's still not clear what caused the fire, but Grimm said she hopes to eventually rebuild.
