Diamondback Online - The University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper

The College Perk coffeehouse will likely be closed for the next two weeks while damage from an electrical fire that knocked out power to the business Sunday night is repaired, Perk owner Chris Gordon said.

Traffic was backed up along Route 1 as emergency vehicles flocked to the scene that night. A sign on the front door now reads, "College Perk - Freshly Roasted."

Gordon said a Pepco electric meter caught fire at the corner of the main building at the Perk, and caused thousands of dollars in damages before being extinguished by employees. More damage was caused when the fire department punched a hole through the outside wall to make sure there was nothing still burning inside, he said.

The coffeehouse and bar have been closed since the fire because of the lack of electricity, and residents of the boarding rooms upstairs have been moved to one of the cabins on the property.

Gordon estimated the fire caused a few thousand dollars in damage to the structure of the building but even more to the building's electrical system. He said he also expects to lose significant revenue from being closed while the electricity is restored.

The building will reopen whenever his insurance company and Pepco are able to work out the financial details and when the power is back on.

The electrical fire is an additional blow to the Perk, which is facing eviction after being foreclosed upon in September.

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