Edgartown firefighters swiftly contained an upper-story fire at the Atlantic Restaurant on Saturday morning at the start of the Fourth of July holiday.

Smoke pours from second story of Atlantic Restaurant building at foot of Main street. — Mark Lovewell

Deputy fire chief Alex Schaeffer, who was first on the scene along with Edgartown police officer Ryan Ruley, told the Gazette that a fire in a kitchen exhaust fan was the cause.

Mr. Schaeffer said he and Mr. Ruley were walking past the Atlantic at the foot of Main street Saturday morning, on their way to do some maintenance on the town police boat in the harbor, when they heard the fire alarm. They went inside where the kitchen crew was getting ready for the day. An exhaust fan in a third floor kitchen “went up in flames” and fire had spread into the building, the deputy chief said. There were later reports of flames coming out of the back of the building. At about 9:30 a.m., smoke was seen pouring from the top floor of the building.

Mr. Schaeffer said there was a full response from Edgartown with mutual aid from Oak Bluffs.

Kitchen workers from Atlantic stood outside during fire. Restaurant will be closed for cleanup from fire. — Sara Brown

“Anything in the downtown area, we know we’re going to need help,” he said.

Downtown Edgartown was cordoned off and closed to traffic; a large crowd of onlookers gathered as the firefighters did their work. A group of kitchen crew wearing their chef waits stood outside. Fire hoses snaked through the downtown streets.

Mr. Schaeffer praised the quick work by firefighters to contain the blaze. “The guys did an awesome job,” he said.

Town administrator Pamela Dolby, who was at the scene, said the restaurant will be closed for at least a few days while water is cleaned up. There was no immediate damage assessment.

The building houses the restaurant and a private club on the upper floors.

By late morning downtown streets were opened to traffic again.

Parade marshal Joseph E. Sollitto Jr. said the 5 p.m. parade would go an as scheduled.

Sara Brown and Mark Lovewell contributed reporting.