Gay bar goes up in flames

The fire broke out in a utility room in the basement of the Cartwheel in New Hope, causing "severe" damage.

By: Mae Rhine
   SOLEBURY — State police and local fire marshals are investigating the cause of a fire that broke out around 3 p.m. Monday and caused "severe damage" to the basement and first floor of the Cartwheel, a local gay bar and restaurant on Route 202.
   According to Fred Williamson, fire marshal for New Hope and president of the New Hope Eagle Fire Company, the fire appeared to have started in what he called a utility room in the basement of the historic structure, said to be around 200 years old.
   "We had it under control in about 1½ hours," Mr. Williamson said. "The basement and first floor were severely damaged."
   He said no one was in the building when the blaze broke out, including owner Paul Quintieri.
   The investigation into the cause of the fire began Tuesday with fire marshals from the state police and Solebury Township.
   "We have nothing yet" as to the cause, said Solebury Fire Marshal Jack Parks on Tuesday.
   None of the 75 to 100 emergency workers who responded to the blaze was injured, Mr. Williams said.
   "The guys did a great, great job, stopping that," Mr. Williamson said. "When I got there, smoke was coming out of everywhere."
   Firemen from New Hope Eagle, Point Pleasant, Doylestown, Lambertville, Upper Makefield and Lingohocken were at the fire as well as emergency personnel from the Lambertville-New Hope Ambulance and Rescue Squad and New Hope and Solebury police.
   The New Hope area once had three well-known gay bars, including the Raven, which is still in business, and the Prelude, which has been closed for some time.
   The Cartwheel was purchased by Mr. Quintieri in 2001.