This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
An explosion early Monday destroyed Johanna's Restaurant, a Sandy staple for nearly half a century. No injuries were reported.
The eatery, opened by Joanne Nielsen on Valentine's Day 1971 as Johanna's Kitchen, became a favorite breakfast spot, offering teddy bear pancakes and deep-fried scones.
Nielsen sold the place in 2001. She died in 2013.
Sterling Smith was a regular morning customer at the restaurant.
"They had great omelets, and their scones were amazing," he said. "But it was their servers that made the place. Very polite and always ready with coffee and tea refills."
Sandy Fire Department dispatchers said the blast at Johanna's, 9725 S. State, was reported at 12:06 a.m.
Fire crews, who reported the smell of natural gas at the scene, responded to extinguish flames in the charred remains. Debris from the explosion littered nearby streets.
Questar Gas crews were sent to ensure gas lines leading into the site were shut down.
Questar spokesman Darren Shepherd said the explosion broke a gas meter leading into the building, and crews found gas leaking from that location. However, after the flow of gas was shut down at the meter, crews did not find indications of any other leaks in ground lines nearby.
"They are still investigating," Shepherd said, "but it appears whatever happened, happened inside [the restaurant]."
Fire investigators had not identified the cause of the fire as of Monday night and likely would not be able to examine the building closely as long as heavy snows continued to blanket the valley, said Sandy Fire Marshal Robert DeKorver.
"The snow is making it difficult, adding weight on a building that's already structurally unsound," he said.
The eatery, which lost most of its rear wall, was deemed a total loss.
Smith said he was "so glad" that the explosion happened late at night and no one was hurt. He hopes the owners are "able to get back up and running again."
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