Dec. 23 photo/Jack Fichter

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CAPE MAY — The historic Merion Inn Restaurant reopened Tue. Dec. 28 following a fire Dec. 23 in an apartment above the dining room.

Owner Vicky Watson, who was rescued from the roof of the burning building by Cape May firefighters along with George Mesterhazy, said she was grateful for all the help she had to quickly reopen the restaurant.

Her brother, Erik Watson, remains in the burn center with second degree burns and inhalation burns.
“It will be a slow road to recovery for him but he will recover,” said Vicky.

She said the city assisted in getting inspections handled in a timely manner from the construction office. Watson said she received the final approval to reopen at 3 p.m. and opened the doors at 5 p.m.

The restaurant, kitchen and bar, located on the first floor, were untouched other than the ceiling in one of the dining rooms, which sustained minor water damage.

On Tuesday evening, the bar and one dining room were fully occupied, she said.

Vicky Watson said the fire started in Erik’s second floor apartment. She said she was accustomed to waking to the smell of baking from the restaurant kitchen but this particular morning, she awakened to an odor she mistook for burning candles.

“I looked out of the bedroom and the hall was full of black, dense smoke,” said Vicky.

The smoke was too dense to enter Erik’s apartment. He was rescued by firefighters and flown by helicopter to the hospital.
Vicky and Mesterhazy went out a window to a third floor roof where they were rescued by firefighters. They were unable to find their two dogs and two cats but all were located by firefighters and saved.

She said she wishes to thank all the fire departments that responded: Cape May, West Cape May, Cape May Point, U.S. Coast Guard, Town Bank, Villas and Erma along with Cape May Police and Fire Police.
The source of the fire is suspected to have been a smoldering cigarette in a couch in Erik’s apartment.

Vicky said she was grateful to Patterson Electric and Valdo’s Cooling and Heating for spending days working on the building.
The Merion Inn will be open every night through January 3. She said a few reservations are available for New Year’s Eve.