Manchu Wok, Apache Mall, Rochester, MN USA Grease Fryer Fire Suppressed by Grease Exhaust System

http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=2&a=338610

Small fire closes Apache Mall restaurant for an afternoon

4/21/2008 7:20:02 PM

(2) Comments

Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN 

A small fire shut down business Saturday afternoon at the Manchu Wok in the food court at Apache Mall.

Rochester Fire Marshal Vance Swisher said crews were called to the food court at about 1:20 p.m. Saturday when a deep-fat fryer at the business caught on fire. He said an automatic fire extinguisher doused the fire before crews arrived. Firefighters then ventilated the area.

Damage was estimated at $1,000.

Fire officials were planning to return to the scene to make sure there were no code violations, Swisher said.

Texas Roadhouse, Ashville, NC USA Grease Exhaust Fire

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080420/NEWS01/80419086

 

 

Charity cookout continues today

 

ASHEVILLE — The Texas Roadhouse restaurant on Hendersonville Road, damaged by a fire Thursday night, held a charity fundraiser Saturday and will continue today to clear out its refrigerators.

 

Employees are grilling steaks, ribs and chicken in the parking lot. The public can buy the fare 1-5 p.m. for $10 per person, with the proceeds going to the Eblen Foundation, said Tonya Buchanan, the restaurant's assistant service manager.

The restaurant at 230 Hendersonville Road suffered damage in a roof fire just after closing Thursday night.

The blaze ignited in a hood system used for ventilation, said Carlo Marzella, a battalion chief for Asheville Fire and Rescue.

Texas Roadhouse manager Chad Noble said he hopes to reopen the restaurant this week.

"We have to go through all the permits and get all the inspections done," he said. "I would say probably Wednesday or Thursday."

For more information about the fundraiser, call the restaurant at 274-4311.

Ixtapa Restaurant, Dallas, TX USA Grease Exhaust Fire

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080420/NEWS/804200337/1001/NEWS

Ixtapa to close for repairs after fire

April 20, 2008

DALLAS — Ixtapa Restaurant in Dallas will be closed for repairs after a fire late Friday that damaged the kitchen, fire officials said.

The fire was reported just before midnight at 1320 SW Fairview Ave., said Fire Chief Bill Hahn. A passer-by reported flames coming from the roof.

Firefighters arrived to find smoke with flames from the hood vent on the roof, Hahn said. Crews contained the fire to the kitchen. The rest of the building was filled with smoke.

The cause is under investigation. No damage estimate was available.

— Eunice Kim

Chilli's, Tom's River, NJ USA Grease Fire

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080418/NEWS/80418085

Chili's in Toms River re-opens after Thursday fire

 

TOMS RIVER — Chili's Restaurant at 1315 Hooper Ave. was closed down Thursday after a morning fire in a deep fat fryer, said Chief John F. Lightbody of the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention.

The restaurant reopened Friday after being cited by the bureau with multiple fire
code violations for imminent hazards, Lightbody said.

The fire suppression system in the kitchen hood engaged but some of the sprinklers failed to operate properly because they were clogged with grease, Lightbody said.

A Chili's employee used an extinguisher to put out the remaining flames. Firefighters were dispatched automatically by the activation of the system. The fire was out when the Toms River Fire Company 1 and 2 responded.

The fryer had caught fire once before, Lightbody said.

The fire Thursday damaged the range hood and there was water damage to the lights and the extinguishing system had to be replenished before the restaurant could reopen, Lightbody said.

Kevin Esposito and Assistant Chief James Mercready are investigating.

Margaret F. Bonafide (732) 557-5740 or bonafide@app.com

Hooter's, Tuscaloosa, AL USA Grease Fire

Published Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Fryer fire empties Hooters

Staff report

- Last modified: April 16. 2008 12:46AM

 

TUSCALOOSA | The Hooters restaurant on Oscar Baxter Drive briefly evacuated after a deep-fryer caught fire shortly before its midnight closing time on Tuesday.

"I never saw fireman move so fast before," said Don Graham, chuckling about the mishap at the restaurant, known for its attractive female servers.

"I can say that because I'm a tourist," said Graham, the mayor of a small town in Newfoundland.

The fire didn't cause any damage or injuries.

Graham said the restaurant briefly evacuated when the fire was discovered. About 20 minutes later, a handful of customers remained in the restaurant, which appeared to be back to business as usual.

"It was out when we got here," said Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue Capt. Jason Jackson. Dispatchers recorded the call at 11:48 and said firefighters arrived at 11:53.

Jackson said the department checked the area and cut the gas and power to the fryer.

"They did a heck of a job putting it out," he said.

Hooters cook David Cole said he found and put out the fire after smelling smoke in the restaurant.

"I feel like a real fireman now," he said as he locked the door at closing time.

Smokehouse Restaurant, Grease Fire, Millbrook, AL USA

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080415/NEWS/80415018

Smokehouse fire started in kitchen

A fire at the Smokehouse restaurant in Millbrook this afternoon started in the kitchen and burned for more than 30 minutes before being brought under control.

Chief Larry Brown of the Millbrook Fire Department said firefighters received a call about the fire at 2:48 p.m. and responded with the first unit by 2:50 p.m. They had the blaze under control by 3:28 p.m., he said.

He said the owner and an employee of the barbecue restaurant on Main Street were filtering grease from a deep fryer in the kitchen when the oil caught fire.

He said the department responded with at least five units, including one ladder truck, and received assistance from the Elmore County, Deatsville and Coosada fire departments.

In addition to interior damage, part of the exterior wall and several windows were destroyed at the front of the restaurant, which is made mostly of cedar and pine.

Donna Savage, general manager of the restaurant, said Tuesday afternoon she doesn't yet know how long the restaurant will be closed. She said the restaurant will continue to cater meals.

-- Andre Coe

Gemato's Grill & Wood Pit BBQ, Naperville, IL USA $10,000 Grease Exhaust Fire

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/887667,na09_fireweb_s1.article

Restaurant fire causes $10,000 in damages

April 9, 2008

By BILL BIRD wbird@scn1.com

Heat from a Naperville restaurant's wood-smoking pit apparently ignited a fire early Wednesday evening that did just less than $10,000 damage to the business.

An estimated 20 customers and employees escaped uninjured from Gemato's Grill & Wood Pit BBQ, 1566 W. Ogden Ave., when the blaze erupted about 6:20 p.m., Assistant Naperville Fire Department Chief Rich Mikel said at the scene.

Twenty-five firefighters, six pieces of apparatus and two ambulance crews were sent to battle the blaze.

Mikel said heat from the restaurant's wood pit apparently started a fire in the ventilation system. Damage appeared to be confined to a rooftop ventilation unit, he said.

Grayish-white smoke could be seen just above the roof at 6:30 p.m.

Mikel added restaurant employees erected and climbed their own ladder and emptied fire extinguishers into the vent just before firefighters arrived at the scene.

The interior sustained no damage, although the restaurant was closed while being inspected by city building and health code officers, Mikel said.

Applebee's, Salem, MA USA Grease Exhaust Fire

Published: April 09, 2008 12:03 am

Police, firefighters squash Applebee's blaze

By Bruno Matarazzo Jr.
Staff Writer

DANVERS — Police and firefighters extinguished a grease fire at Applebee's on Independence Way that caused the chain restaurant to close early.

Heavy smoke was showing from the chimney when police and firefighters arrived at the scene at 7:45 p.m., shortly after a call from the restaurant. Staff and customers were outside when Patrolman Scott Frost arrived on scene and entered the restaurant, grabbed a dry chemical fire extinguisher and knocked down flames that were 18 inches high. Firefighter David Mondi arrived shortly afterward, grabbed another dry chemical fire extinguisher and put out the remaining fire on the grill in the kitchen, fire Capt. Doug Conrad said.

Conrad said the town's health agent responded to the restaurant near the Liberty Tree Mall and made sure all food exposed to the dry chemical was thrown out and the kitchen was cleaned up before customers could be served food again. Conrad said the dry chemical isn't harmful.

"The (dry chemical) agents aren't toxic, but we can't let people eat it," Conrad said.

The restaurant was closed for the remainder of the night so workers could clean up the kitchen. Conrad said the fire started in catch pans underneath the grill.

Jack in the Box, Modesto, CA USA Grease Exhaust Fire

http://www.modbee.com/local/story/260236.html

 

RESTAURANT FIRE: A stove fire that leaped from a fryer closed the Jack in the Box restaurant in the 1600 block of J Street on Friday morning, according to fire officials. Crews arrived shortly after the fire started about 10:45 a.m. and used large extinguishers to put out the flames, Battalion Chief Hugo Patino said. Three engines and two trucks responded to the blaze. Patino said the fire was limited to the stove.

Lee Po Restaurant, Bristol, Connecticut, USA Gease Exhaust Fire

http://www.wfsb.com/news/15793034/detail.html#

Fire Ignites At Bristol Restaurant

Witnesses See Flames Emanating From Building

POSTED: 11:22 am EDT April 4, 2008

UPDATED: 4:13 pm EDT April 4, 2008

BRISTOL, Conn. -- Firefighters responded to a restaurant fire in Bristol late Friday morning.

Crews responded just after 11 a.m. to a fire at the Lee Po restaurant in the 1000 block of Farmington Avenue, where witnesses reported seeing flames.

"As we were driving up the street, I just saw a lot of smoke coming out of Lee Po, so I picked up the phone and dialed 911," said witness Jennifer Skinner. "I was a little concerned because I saw somebody run back in and there was smoke everywhere and there were flames shooting out of the building."

Crews were able to extinguish the flames in about a half-hour.

Fire officials said that hot oil ignited on a cooking line.

No injuries were reported in the blaze, but the building suffered heavy damage to the roof and to the ventilation system.

Officials said that the restaurant is expected to be closed for several months at the least.

"I live down the street and that's the first place I call for my Chinese food, and it looks like I'll have to find somewhere new for a little while," Skinner said.

Las Palmas, Lake Elsinore, California $2000 Damages Grease Exhaust System Prevented Total Loss

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/04/02/news/californian/lake_elsinore/b85e555a12818c3c8825741f0011713a.txt

 

LAKE ELSINORE: Fire closes Las Palmas restaurant

By The Californian | Tuesday, April 1, 2008 10:06 PM PDT

LAKE ELSINORE ---- A kitchen fire at the Las Palmas restaurant in Lake Elsinore on Tuesday was no April Fools' joke.

The fire, sparked in the morning by a cooking oil flare-up, will force the temporary closure of the Mexican food eatery at 16779 Lakeshore Drive, said the owner, Jimmy Flores, a member of the Lake Elsinore Planning Commission.

Flores, talking about the fire at the end of Tuesday's commission meeting, said people thought he was joking when he called this morning to report the fire.

"I called people and they hung up on me," he said.

The fire department took the call seriously, however, and made sure there were no lingering embers that could threaten the entire building, which is worth an estimated $800,000.

Fire Chief Jerry Hendershot said there was about $2,000 in damage.

The fire was largely out, snuffed by the restaurant's hood and duct extinguisher system, by the time firefighters arrived on the scene, Hendershot said. Those systems, which dump fire retardants on a fire, are required in restaurants and commercial kitchens.

Flores thanked the firefighters for their quick response, crediting them for saving his life.

"Had I stayed, I wouldn't be here today," he said.

Flores, covered with "dry chem" and surrounded by smoke, was using a water glass to stop the fire from spreading to a wall when firefighters arrived and took over.

Burger King, Fall River, MA USA $30,000 Damages

http://www.heraldnews.com/homepage/x79620201

Blaze breaks out at Burger King

---

By John Moss

Herald News Staff Reporter

Posted Apr 02, 2008 @ 09:49 PM

---

Somerset —

An accidental grease fire caused heavy damage to Burger King, 833 G.A.R. Highway, on Wednesday.
Heavy smoke was showing through the roof as firefighters responded to the blaze shortly before 2 p.m.
Employees apparently were cleaning the frialator when the fire started, said Fire Lt. Brad Coates. 

  
"They were in the process of cleaning the frialator and something caught fire. It spread to the vent system and to the roof," he said.

 
Coates estimated damage at $30,000, including extensive interior damage.
He believed that the restaurant would be closed for several days.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze in about 30 minutes.

Chief Scott Jepson "commended firefighters and officers on a job well done and a quick stop," Coates said. 
Three engine companies and a rescue unit responded to the scene. There were no reported injuries.

E-mail John Moss at jmoss@heraldnews.com.

---

By John Moss

Herald News Staff Reporter

Posted Apr 02, 2008 @ 09:49 PM

Blaze breaks out at Burger King

---

Dave Souza

Firetrucks wait outside Burger King in Somerset on Wednesday after firefighters extinguished a blaze that caused an estimated $30,000 in damage.

---

Copyright © 2008 GateHouse Media, Inc. Some Rights Reserved.

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.

McDonald's, Newark, OH, USA

http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/UPDATES01/80401031/1002/

McDonald's reopens after grease fire
By KENT MALLETT
Advocate Reporter

NEWARK — McDonald's employees repaired an exhaust system after a minor fire Tuesday morning inside the downtown restaurant, at Candlewick Commons, 15 S. Third St. The restaurant stopped serving customers after the fire but was back to normal operations by 1:30 p.m. Newark fire responded with all units at 9:58 a.m., but the fire was contained at 10:04 a.m. Newark fire Lt. Andrew Morris said there was a small fire in the exhaust system for the fryers, forcing smoke through outside vents near the drive-up window. "It looked worse when we pulled up," Morris said. "There was a lot of smoke coming out from the vents. ... It was contained quickly with fire extinguishers." The exhaust system did its job, Morris said, taking smoke outside of the restaurant. No employees or customers were injured. "It was a grease fire, nothing major, and no one was at risk," store manager Wally Cline said. "The fire suppression system worked the way it's supposed to." Morris said the fire department had all units responding, partially because of the senior citizen housing at Candlewick Commons. "Our biggest threat here is the residential," Morris said. "Our primary concern is the evacuation of the building. We could evacuate the restaurant pretty quick, but it would take some time to evacuate the rest of the building." The restaurant should have closed its drive-through service sooner, Morris said, as smoke poured out of the vents over the tops of cars waiting in line. Kent Mallett can be reached at (740) 328-8545 or kmallett@newarkadvocate.com.