Kitchen Fire Extinguished At Arlington Heights Restaurant

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — A small kitchen fire at an Arlington Heights restaurant was quickly extinguished Monday night after a gas line broke while an employee was cleaning behind a rice cooker, fire officials said.

The Arlington Heights Fire Department was dispatched at 7:02 p.m. July 6, for an automatic fire alarm at 100 E. Algonquin Road. Almost immediately after dispatch, Northwest Central Dispatch advised firefighters that someone had called to report smoke in the building, according to the fire department.

Battalion One upgraded the alarm to a Code 3, or working structure fire.

Engine 3 arrived at 7:05 p.m., and employees from Teriyaki Chopper, 146 E. Algonquin Road, told firefighters there had been a fire in the kitchen. Firefighters found smoke in the kitchen and one sprinkler head activated, but the fire was already out, officials said.

As additional crews arrived, firefighters confirmed everyone had safely evacuated the restaurant. Crews ventilated the building and shut down the sprinkler system to help minimize water damage.

The fire was declared out at 7:07 p.m.

Firefighters completed overhaul to make sure the fire had not extended into the structure, and Nicor Gas was requested to the scene, officials said.

No injuries were reported.

An investigation found an employee had moved a rice cooker to clean behind it when a gas line attached to the cooker broke, according to the fire department. The gas was ignited by an open flame on the cooktop grill, activating the fume hood, which helped extinguish the fire with assistance from one sprinkler head outside the hood.

When the fume hood activated, it also shut off the gas supply to the appliances, officials said.

The Arlington Heights Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Arlington Heights Police Department, Building and Life Safety Department, and Health and Human Services.