SCARBOROUGH, Maine — A grease fire that started Thursday afternoon in the kitchen of Texas Roadhouse in Scarborough was ruled accidental by state fire officials.
Emergency officials were notified by a passer-by around 2 p.m. after smoke and flames were apparently seen coming through the roof of the restaurant, Scarborough Deputy Fire Chief John Brennan said Friday in a news release.
Firefighters arrived at the scene shortly after the call and entered the building, which was filled with smoke, and found that the source of the fire was coming from a grease fire in the kitchen at the rear of the building, according to the release.
Firefighters in the kitchen were able to extinguish the flames there, while other crews working on the roof were battling flames coming out of a rooftop vent. The vent needed to be disassembled in order to access the fire to extinguish it, the release stated.
"Due to the location of the fire, extensive overhaul in the kitchen as well as on the roof was required to ensure all areas of the fire were completely extinguished," Brennan said in the release.
Staff at the restaurant were in the process of preparing to open their doors to patrons at 3 p.m. when the fire broke out, but everyone inside was able to get out of the building safely. No injuries were reported among restaurant staff or fire crews, officials said.
An investigation into the fire was conducted by the Scarborough Fire Department as well as the state fire marshal's office, and inspectors from the state health department and Scarborough Code Enforcement Office also responded.
The fire was ruled accidental, and the investigation determined that the grease fire started in the kitchen ventilation hood system, according to the release.
Portland and South Portland fire departments also responded to the scene, as well as an ambulance from the Biddeford Fire Department. Old Orchard, Portland, and Gorham fire departments helped cover Scarborough's firehouses while they were at the scene.
The restaurant posted Thursday on its Facebook page that it would be closed temporarily.
As of Saturday, there was no option to set up a reservation there, as was recommended by automated message when calling the restaurant, and the to-go option noted that online ordering is temporarily unavailable. Attempts to speak with someone at the restaurant during regular business went unanswered Saturday as well.