A pre-dawn fire Saturday tore through the Verti Marte, an all-night deli on Royal Street, closing down the family-owned business and leaving its French Quarter neighbors to cope with smoke and water damage.

The 24-hour takeout and grocery at 1201 Royal St., burned at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday, drawing four fire engines and neighbors into the smoke-choked street.

No injuries were reported Saturday, after the one-alarm fire, which was contained by 4:19 a.m., the fire department said.

New Orleans firefighters were called to the Quarter fire just one hour after a spectacular six-alarm blaze engulfed a three-story commercial building that had been under renovation at 628 Baronne St.

Both fires remain under investigation, said Firefighter Michael Williams, an NOFD spokesman.

The Verti, owned by Sam Hatfield and his family for decades, drew saddened passers-by this afternoon expressing heartfelt condolences for the staff, who are known for recognizing the voices of their customers who phone in take-out orders.

“Sam asks about my cats,” said Kaleyn Wright, who lives two blocks away from the Verti and returned home early Saturday to smell smoke. “He calls me “Princess.”

Shelba Hatfield, of Slidell, said Saturday that the Verti, which employs 20 people, will reopen. The fire started on the grill, she added.

Several residents depended on the Verti’s food – from the shrimp scampi to chicken-fried steak with white gravy and creamed spinach with artichoke hearts. Specialty sandwiches include the “All That Jazz,” a $9.50 po-boy of grilled ham, turkey and shrimp, two cheeses, grilled mushrooms, and tomatoes on grilled French bread with “Wow Sauce.”

“Sam’s awesome,” said Lance Pippin, manager of the Golden Lantern Bar, where Verti employees found respite at about 4 a.m. “They’ve been a real important part of the community.”

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