Home Industries Hospitality & Tourism Fire Marshal: Blaze at Matunuck Oyster Bar likely accidental

Fire Marshal: Blaze at Matunuck Oyster Bar likely accidental

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PBN Staff

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05/22/2025

Matunuck Oyster Bar — COMMUNITY MEMBERS watch crews work on Matunuck Oyster Bar in South Kingstown on May 20. Firefighters responded to a fire at the popular oyster restaurant earlier that day. / ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO/KIMBERLEE KRUESI

SOUTH KINGSTOWN – Preliminary results of the investigation of the fire that ravaged the Matunuck Oyster Bar on May 20 suggest the cause of the blaze was accidental, the Office of the R.I. Fire Marshal announced Thursday. In a statement, the fire marshal’s office said no exact cause has been determined and the fire remains

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SOUTH KINGSTOWN – Preliminary results of the investigation of the fire that ravaged the Matunuck Oyster Bar on May 20 suggest the cause of the blaze was accidental, the Office of the R.I. Fire Marshal announced Thursday. In a statement, the fire marshal’s office said no exact cause has been determined and the fire remains under investigation. “Based on information collected to date by inspectors, several possible causes have been ruled out including commercial cooking equipment being a direct cause of the fire,” the office said in its statement. Union Fire District Chief Steven Pinch said firefighters arrived at 3:45 a.m. on May 20 to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the restaurant on Succotash Road. “When you look at the building, it’s still standing, but it had major damage inside between water, smoke and fire,” Pinch said. “The majority of the building is going to need to be replaced. … Oyster Bar has been a fixture for everybody since 2009. You just feel bad for all the workers and the owner that’s worked hard to build the business and then to see it go so quick.” Matunuck Oyster Bar owner Perry Raso said hours after the fire he is committed to reopening the beloved establishment while helping affected employees. “As we assess our next steps, our first priority is in finding ways to assist our more than 300 full-time and seasonal employees, whose service and dedication have made Matunuck Oyster Bar what it is today, and who rely on this business to support themselves and their families,” Raso said in a statement. R.I. Department of Labor and Training spokesperson Edwine “Drine” Paul confirmed to the Rhode Island Current that the department has been in conversations with Raso. “The department is coordinating efforts with the restaurant to expedite our rapid response services to support all of the impacted workers,” Paul told the Current. “We want to make sure that we support them at this difficult time.” Raso gave no timetable for when the restaurant would reopen. But he said, “While we are heartbroken that our doors will be temporarily closed, we are committed to opening them back up and welcoming guests back to our tables as soon as possible.” The South Kingstown community has been rallying in support of both the restaurant and employees since the fire. Boon Street Market at 145 Boon St. in Narragansett opened its doors to first responders of the fire at 10 a.m. on May 20 for free drinks and food. Bend Yoga Studio is planning a fundraiser for the restaurant’s staff on May 31. Bend owner Caroline Keene told WPRI-TV CBS 12 that she worked at the oyster bar for “six incredible years” before opening her own business. “It wasn’t just a job – it was a community,” Keene said in a social media post. “This place supported me through some of the most important steps in my life, including the early stages of my journey as an entrepreneur.” A GoFundMe page has been created to help with the rebuilding effort and to provide assistance for affected employees. It had raised $141,351 as of 4 p.m. Thursday. Raso opened Matunuck Oyster Bar in 2009 as an extension of his oyster farm on Potter Road in the East Matunuck village of South Kingstown. The restaurant regularly offers oyster farm tours for the public. The oyster bar’s littlenecks and chourico dish was lauded as one of the “Best Dishes” of the year in 2023 by The New York Times and USA Today listed the location on its “Restaurants of the Year ” list in 2024. Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.