Dry Chem did not work. Why are dry chemical fire systems still in service?

Hazle eatery damaged in fire

A cooking mishap sparked a fire that damaged the exhaust system at a Hazle Township restaurant Friday afternoon.

No injuries were reported when a fire broke out on a gas stove at Booty's Place Restaurant in the Church Hill Mall, said Hazle Township fire Chief Scott Kostician.

The fire, ruled an accident, began at around 2 p.m. when one of the cooks over-boiled water, which flowed into a pan of hot oil, Kostician said. A gas stove ignited a fire that spread into exhaust hoods and duct work above the stove, the chief said.

Restaurant employees used fire extinguishers to battle the flames until firefighters arrived on scene, Kostician said. The incident caused heavy smoke conditions in the restaurant and light smoke conditions in the mall.

Officials are investigating why a dry chemical system above the stove did not automatically activate when the fire broke out, Kostician said. The system was not manually activated either, he said.

Employees reported the fire to the Luzerne County Communications Center, and officials received reports from people in the mall parking lot about flames coming from the roof, the chief said.

Firefighters ventilated the mall and restaurant. The eatery will be closed for a short period so that officials can inspect the dry chemical system and replace parts of the exhaust system, the chief said.