Fire Closes Popular Beijing Restaurant; Reopening Uncertain

DULUTH, Minn. – A popular Chinese restaurant in Duluth is shut down and could possibly not reopen after fire broke out early Tuesday morning.

The Duluth Fire Department got the call for help around 6 a.m. at Beijing Restaurant on the 1900 block of London Road.

When crews arrived, heavy smoke could be seen coming from the roof after filling up the first-floor dining area and kitchen.

“All the windows were hot to the touch … had a good working fire on the inside of the structure. Crews arrived quickly and knocked down the fire,” said Mark Herman, assistant fire chief.

Damage is estimated at $150,000. A cause is under investigation.

Beijing’s owner, Cindy Lee, told FOX 21 Tuesday that she is 50-50 on whether the restaurant will reopen because of the heavy smoke damage. She says she’s waiting to see what the insurance company says and what the city’s health department decides on what it will take to reopen.

It was in 2016 when Beijing opened — with a brand new state-of-the-art kitchen — in the former Pizza Hut building after losing their nearly 20-year location on Superior Street in 2013 when their lease was not renewed.