Fire forces Ringwood pizza shop to close indefinitely

A fire forced Luigi's Pizza & Restaurant to close its doors indefinitely on Friday, October 31. The incident occurred at the establishment located at 16 Skyline Lake Drive in Ringwood while staff managed a high volume of Halloween orders.

Employees were handling deliveries and stacking more than 40 pizzas on top of an oven when a small flame began in the back corner of the equipment. The fire was initially unnoticed until Anthony Martinelli spotted it from the opposite side of the counter while assisting delivery drivers.

The restaurant stated that Martinelli's observation prevented the flame from growing larger. A Facebook post from the business noted that if Martinelli had not been standing on that side of the counter, the fire might have gone undetected for a longer period. No injuries were reported, and all personnel escaped safely.

Although the restaurant sustained minimal damage, it cannot reopen until an inspector provides approval. The business indicated that this review process could take several days, and no specific date for resuming operations has been set.

Luigi's acknowledged the response of local police and firefighters, as well as neighboring businesses that offered assistance during the closure. The restaurant also thanked customers who contacted staff via phone, text, or in person to check on the team.

The business concluded its public statement with a note of gratitude to the community. "Thank you guys for everything. Luigi’s forever," the post read.