JACKSON – An electrical fire destroyed the kitchen at Wildcat Inn and Tavern this morning but the fire chief said he expects the inn will be open this weekend for a wedding reception.

Fire Chief Jay Henry said carpenters are already at the inn, located at 94 Main St., clearing away the charred debris to begin rebuilding the kitchen that was housed in a structure attached to the rear of the building. He said the fire was caused by an malfunctioning electrical wire in the kitchen.

He said an up-to-date alarm system linked to fire dispatch brought the town's volunteer firefighters quickly to the scene. With the help of fire crews from Bartlett and North Conway, the blaze was extinguished in about 30 minutes.

Two guests were evacuated, Henry said, although the fire was contained to the kitchen.

The inn is closed now because power was shut off but Henry said he expects it will be open for this weekend's wedding even if the inn has to have the event catered.