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Fire closes north-side McDonald’s

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Damages: $30,000

The north-side McDonald’s at 700 N. U.S. 491 remained closed this week after a grease fire grew out of control and forced the business to temporarily close its doors on Oct. 11, officials said.

Gallup Deputy Fire Chief Jesus Morales said city firefighters responded to the scene at about 8:28 am. Morales said the cause of the fire is yet to be determined and estimated the cost of damages to be around $30,000.

“The fire is still under investigation,” Morales said. “There were no injuries. This could have been a case where the machine got too hot or something along those lines.”

Morales said firefighters arrived at the scene within minutes, and the incident was contained to the kitchen area of the restaurant. Some equipment sustained damage, as did the interior duct and vent system in the building.

According to Morales, restaurant employees were able to evacuate the customers who were in the restaurant at the time of the fire.

Morales said grease fires happen every once in a while, but not often around Gallup. Such fires typically occur in places where there’s a high volume of cooking, like restaurants, and at locations that are open around the clock.

Morales expects the north-side McDonald’s to stay closed for about a week, as machinery and ventilation must be replaced and state safety inspections must be done.

By Bernie Dotson
Sun Correspondent