COLUMBUS, Ind. – An employee of a Columbus restaurant was taken to the hospital with burn injuries following a kitchen fire on Saturday afternoon. The Columbus Fire Department (CFD) declared the fire under control upon arriving at the scene after another employee extinguished the flames with portable fire extinguishers.
Firefighters were dispatched to the El Nopal Restaurant, 3114 N. National Road, for a kitchen fire just before 1 p.m. Columbus Police Department officers arrived first and saw flames coming from the hood-exhaust system on the building’s roof. When fire crews arrived, the restaurant was being evacuated and the flames were out. Smoldering materials were found in the kitchen by firefighters and they quickly extinguished.
One male employee had a serious burn injury to his arm. EMTs with the Columbus Regional Health ambulance service treated the burn victim and then transported him to the hospital.
After speaking with the restaurant’s management, investigators determined the fire occurred when water was inadvertently added to a cooking pot that contained hot cooking oil. This created a large eruption of flames and also ignited combustible materials in the food preparation area.
CFD Investigators said the El Nopal kitchen was equipped with a fire suppression system but there was no evidence it activated during the small blaze. The fire was classified as accidental.
Damage to the kitchen was moderate. The fire did not extend to any of the building’s structural components. The restaurant will remain closed until repairs and additional inspections are completed. The estimated damage to the building was listed at approximately $25,000.
