Redmond firefighters stop cooking blaze at Westside Local restaurant
(Update: Fire marshal provides details on fire cause)
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A cooking fire that was not stopped by an extinguishing system caused about $9,000 damage Wednesday morning to the Westside Local restaurant on SW Fifth Street in Redmond, an official said.
Redmond Fire & Rescue crews were called to the restaurant shortly before 10:30 a.m. and arrived to find flames extending through a roof vent, Battalion Chief Steve Fiero said.
Firefighters made entry and used a hose line to extinguish the fire, then worked to put out the blaze in a fan on the roof, Fiero said. They also confirmed that the fire did not extend into the attic.
No injuries were reported.
Redmond Fire Marshal Tom Mooney said the cause of the fire was improper maintenance of cooking equipment.
"The fire originated in the area of an oven and flat-top griddle where excessive grease had built up over time and eventually ignited," Mooney said.
"This is a good reminder for those business owners with commercial appliances to remember to periodically pull out the appliances, clean behind and under them and not to neglect the filters built into the hoods over the appliances," the fire marshal said. "Those filters should be cleaned weekly, to prevent excessive build-up of grease. An excessive build-up of grease can contribute significantly to the growth of a fire. Owners need to also make sure they have any fire suppression systems inspected, tested and maintained on a regular basis."
