Varga Bar is back after a fire

This is supposed to be one of Varga Bar's busiest times of the year, given that it's Philly Beer Week and the Washington Square West corner restaurant-bar has related events on the calendar.

But from what chef Evan Turney says, he and staffers are counting themselves fortunate that no one was injured in a fire early Sunday morning at 10th and Spruce Streets.

He said they were cleaning up about 1:30 a.m. after a street festival when sparks and flames shot from the electrical panel.

"We knocked it down," Turney said of the fire. "We thought we had it out. But then flames were as high as I am tall. I can't imagine what would have happened if [the fire had started during the block party] when there were 500 people around."

The Philadelphia Fire Department contained the blaze quickly, and Turney said the main damage was electrical. He had to dispose of all of the restaurant's food, and the restaurant's basement stinks of smoke.

If there's another plus, know that the supply of beer that was to be served during the Philly Beer Week events had been stored at another location. Turney told me that he will ask the breweries if they would reschedule the events.

Update: Varga reopens Tuesday, June 3.