Fire at Needham Bickford's likely started before closing

The two-alarm fire that destroyed Bickford's family restaurant and sent one firefighter to the hospital probably started before the business closed for the day June 6, according to the Needham Fire Department.

The restaurant's fire alarms went off at about 1:45 a.m., firefighters from Needham and four neighboring communities - Wellesley, Newton, Dedham and Westwood - converged on the engulfed building. Firefighters finally left the scene at about 7 a.m., according to the Needham Fire Department, but the charred odor lingered throughout Needham Heights.

The establishment, at <small>]></small>'>669 Highland Ave.</a><![CDATA[, was closed and empty at the time, fire officials said.The fire is believed to have started in a wooden wall next to an oven and probably began before closing at midnight, Fire Chief Paul Buckley said."It just got too hot," Buckley said.Buckley said the smoke likely traveled into the attic without triggering the alarm until later on.Linda Milley, the owner of the Needham Bickford's, was at the property the morning of June 9, as contractors came to board up the building."We're devastated," Milley said. "It was a wonderful community restaurant. We had a lot of loyal guests&#8230;The only good news was that it happened after hours and no one was hurt. We hope to rebuild."Milley has owned the Bickford's since 1997. Previously, it had been an IHOP.One firefighter, whose name was not released, was sent to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham to be treated for smoke inhalation. The firefighter was released Saturday afternoon, according to Deputy Fire Chief Tom Conroy.The building is currently uninhabitable, with "heavy damage to the structure of the roof," according to Conroy. A notice from the Needham Building Department, fixed to the door, declares the building unsafe.