SIMSBURY, Conn. -- Sprinklers that ran overnight in a restaurant's centuries-old building may dampen dinner for some.

Pettibone's Tavern, an historic and popular restaurant in Simsbury, remains shut down after a small fire -- but the fire didn't cause the structure's most extensive damage.

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Dan Kain reported a small fire ignited in a trash barrel near the bar area on the second floor some time after the restaurant closed on Thursday night. Then, the sprinklers kicked in and kept going for some time.

Employees arriving for work on Friday called 911 at about 9:30 a.m. to report water flowing out of the building.

Water flowed from the second floor down to the first floor, damaging the building's interior, Kain reported. The fire caused little or no damage, officials said.

"Unfortunately, they did not have what's called a central reporting alarm, which would have notified us of the fire or the sprinkler operating; It only has a local alarm. So, there was no notification to the emergency services," Simsbury Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Giddings said.

According to Pettibone's Web site, the building was built in 1780 and was burned by Native Americans by turn of century. The restaurant has survived a number of names and was, at one time, called The Chart House.

"It has a long history, a lot of support from the community. So, we'll do everything we can to make sure it's back on track," Simsbury First Selectwoman Mary Glassman said.

It's believed that George Washington and John Adams may have stopped at the building that may have also been part of the Underground Railroad.