A fire broke out at the Merion Inn, a 125-year-old restaurant in Cape May.
Firefighters arrived at the scene on Decatur Street Thursday morning where they found 53-year-old Erik Watson unconscious in an apartment above the inn.
His sister Vicki Watson and her boyfriend George Mesterhazy escaped unharmed from another apartment.
The Watson family owns the restaurant, which is now shut down due to water and smoke damage and no electricity.
Erik was taken to Temple University Hospital where he is in good condition.
“He’s going to have some serious healing to do but I think he’s going to make it,” said Mesterhazy.
The Watsons planned to have their restaurant open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for the first time in it's history. It was booked with reservations tonight through January 3rd.
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“I guess we’re just going to be doing a lot of cleaning in the next few days to be open for New Years, but we’re going to try to do it,” said Mesterhazy.
Vicki and George plan to stay in houses owned by their relatives for the time being.
Investigators believe that the fire began in Erik Watson’s apartment.
“It appears to be accidental, started maybe in a love seat on the second floor,” said Chief Jerry Inderwies of the Cape May Fire Department. “Possibly careless smoking.”
