Herndon Restaurant Cited After Fire Starts On Stove

HERNDON, VA — A Herndon restaurant was cited for a violation after an unattended wok with oil started a kitchen fire, Fairfax County Fire authorities say. The department didn't name the restaurant in the 1000 block of Elden Street, where the fire was reported shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday.

Units from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue and Loudoun County Fire and Rescue responded to the fire, which caused an estimated $25,000 in damage. The first firefighters at the scene reported smoke coming from the front and rear of the one-story restaurant located in a commercial shopping center. Crews located the fire on a stove in the restaurant and the blaze was quickly extinguished.

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries reported.

Two employees were inside the restaurant at the time of the fire; one of them discovered the fire. Officials said a commercial fire suppression system over the stove failed to operate, which earned the business a notice of violation.

Investigators determined that the kitchen fire was an accident and was caused by an unattended wok filled with cooking oil on the stove.

Photo courtesy of Fairfax County Fire and Rescue