District of Columbia health inspectors temporarily closed the Philadelphia Pizza Company on 34th Street on March 29 after it allegedly failed to comply with city health codes.

According to a food establishment inspection report issued by the Food Protection division of the D.C. Department of Health, inspectors investigated the pizzeria in response to a complaint placed less than 24 hours earlier. The report found the restaurant to be operating in unsanitary conditions.

The most serious health violations included the absence of a certified food supervisor on duty during hours of operation, a rodent infestation and broken faucets that resulted in a lack of hot water in the janitorial sink. Certified food supervisors take a one week course in proper food preparation and supervise employees involved in preparing food.

DOH sanitarian Alice Jackson said that violations that pose an obvious health risk for customers are reasons for a restaurant to be shut down.

“These were all imminent danger violations which called for immediate closure of the restaurant,” she said.

Other violations included the lack of a business license and utensils found stored on unclean food racks.

On March 30, one day after closing the eatery, the DOH reexamined the pizzeria and found it acceptable. According to the follow-up report, Philadelphia Pizza Co. must still take measures to correct some minor violations, such as relocating a 55-gallon oil drum located near the food production area and repairing all hot water faucets.

Matt Kocak, manager of The Philadelphia Pizza Co., said that a misunderstanding was to blame for the forced closure of the food establishment. Kocak attributed bad timing, miscommunication and exaggeration to the unsatisfactory ranking of the restaurant by the Department of Health.

According to Kocak, the pizzeria has a legitimate business license, but the health inspector was unable to locate it because of a miscommunication with workers. Kocak also emphasized that he is a certified food supervisor, and that he was unable to get to the restaurant before the health inspector was finished. Kocak said that the health inspector admitted a miscommunication was to blame.

Kocak also denied the possibility of any rodents in the restaurant.

“If you see any Georgetown stores, like Romeo’s, they are not like this,” he said. “We keep things perfect, everything has a place.”

Kocak said that students were disappointed with the temporary closure of the pizzeria for a night. He stressed that the restaurant worked hard to fix the problems.

“We are trying to be honest,” he said.

Kocak said business was still steady despite the restaurant’s brief closure.

Kocak said the only complaints the restaurant has received came from a neighbor who dislikes the traffic the business generates on weekends.

“Maybe he complained, I don’t know,” he said. “In business there is so much complaining.”