The Las Fuentes Mexican Restaurant, 2198 Michigan Ave., in Arnold will be closed for while after an unattended pot of grease caused a kitchen fire late Monday night (Aug. 5), said Jeff Delapp, fire marshal for the Rock Community Fire Protection District.
The restaurant was closed and no one was in the building when Rock Fire was alerted to the fire by an alarm sounding next door at Fresenius Kidney Care Arnold Dialysis Center, 2194 Michigan Ave. When firefighters arrived, there was heavy smoke in the restaurant, and the fire was being contained to the kitchen by the sprinkler and hood system. The fire was under control by about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday (Aug. 6), DeLapp said.
“The fire could have been worse if they didn’t have sprinklers or if the hood system did not activate,” DeLapp said. “The hood system and sprinkler systems did their jobs. That is why we are out there doing inspections and doing tests when they put them in. It worked great, like it is supposed to.”
The restaurant’s hood system and sprinklers also set off alarms, and the restaurant’s security firm alerted Rock Fire to the emergency. However, firefighters were already responding to the dialysis center’s alarm, DeLapp said.
“What I think happened was when smoke came out of the roof from the Mexican restaurant’s vents, there are HVAC units on the rooftop for the dialysis center,” DeLapp said. “We think smoke went in the HVAC units and pushed smoke into (the dialysis center).”
DeLapp said the dialysis center was not damaged.
He said the restaurant will need to replace its hood system and ceiling tiles that were damaged before it can reopen. He also said the kitchen floor was damaged by water.
The Saline Valley and Mehlville fire protection districts and the Rock Township Ambulance District assisted with the call, DeLapp said.