Fire At Korean Restaurant On Route 40 Under Investigation

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — Fire broke out at a restaurant on Route 40 in Ellicott City early Saturday morning. Crews from Howard County encountered heavy fire from the back of the two-story restaurant when they arrived.

At 1:42 a.m., a passerby had called 911 to report seeing smoke and flames coming from Tongnamoo House, a Korean restaurant located on Route 40 west of Plumtree Drive.

Firefighters battled the blaze at the restaurant in the 9400 block of Baltimore National Pike, and Route 40 was closed during the firefighting operation. Officials said the fire was knocked by 3 a.m., although crews remained at the scene to ensure there were not any lingering hot spots.

Nobody was injured in the fire, and the cause remained under investigation, according to Howard County fire officials.

Photo of Tongnamoo House fire courtesy of the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services.