Calumet Fisheries suffers fire shortly after reopening after health inspection closure

It's been a string of misfortunes for Calumet Fisheries, a Calumet Region institution known for its smoked fish on the far South Side of Chicago. Just days after reopening after city health inspectors had shut it down, Calumet Fisheries suffered a major fire. The Chicago Fire Department reported that the fire took place in a large void in the upper area of the 95-year-old building, causing extensive damage.

No one was injured in the blaze. Firefighters put out the fire, but it caused serious damage to the roof and side of the building. The restaurant closed again and it was not immediately clear when it would reopen.

The seafood shack at 3259 E.

95th St. had just reopened Saturday. City health inspectors shut it down near the end of October after finding rodent droppings in the basement, which they try to get into this time of year to get out of the cold.

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The City of Chicago Public Health Department mandated many repairs, including sealing doors tighter to prevent rats and mice from entering, fixing leaky faucets, cleaning spillage in display counters, and replacing a freezer door handle, floor tiles, loose freezer wall panels and worn cutting boards, according to City of Chicago records. Calumet Fisheries again failed a follow-up inspection on Nov.

6 that said more repairs were needed and a pest control specialist had to be brought in. The owners resolved those issues and were back to smoking and selling fish. The old school fish shack near Steelworkers Park at the site of U.S.

Steel's former South Works mill is an acclaimed culinary institution that's received a James Beard American Classic Award and appeared on Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations," WTTW's "Check Please!" and "Hungry Hound."

Founded in 1948, the no-frills takeout seafood restaurant specializes in smoked fish like smelt, chubs, eel, trout, sable, salmon, shrimp, sturgeon, herring, oysters, white fish and catfish.

It's cash-only and located on the 95th Street Bridge that Elwood and Joliet Jake Blues jumped while fleeing police in a car chase in the classic film "Blues Brothers."

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