Pat O'Brien's, the French Quarter institution as famed for its Hurricane glasses as its seemingly timeless presence along Bourbon and St. Peter streets, survived a scare Wednesday (Jan. 8) when fire inside an air-conditioning duct briefly threatened the New Orleans landmark.
The fire was reported at 9:33 am, and the New Orleans Fire Department responded swiftly, sending nine units and 24 firefighters within five minutes. The blaze was under control 14 minutes after their arrival and destruction was limited to smoke and water damage inside a private-party room with a balcony overlooking Bourbon Street.