Black Sheep Pub and Restaurant in Philadelphia "closed for the foreseeable future" after fire

A fire at The Black Sheep Pub and Restaurant in Center City was placed under control Monday night, the Philadelphia Fire Department said. 

The fire started at the Irish pub located on South 17th Street near Rittenhouse Square around 8:45 p.m.

The Black Sheep was evacuated because of the fire, which was placed under control in roughly 20 minutes, the fire department said.

Then around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, the blaze rekindled and firefighters returned and placed it under control again.

In a statement on Facebook, the Black Sheep said it would be closed for the foreseeable future while it assesses the damage.

"While we are devastated by this outcome, we are hopeful that we will come back even stronger and are thankful that no one was harmed," the statement read. "We are eternally grateful for all of the support we have received and ask for patience during this troubling time. Our focus is on supporting our staff, contacting upcoming reservations and parties, and beginning the rebuilding process."

The cause of the fire is under investigation.