Fire damages Charleston restaurant

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Crews responded Monday to a fire at Outback Steakhouse at the Charleston Town Center.

According to Charleston firefighters, the fire started in the vents and was put out in minutes. Charleston Fire marshals say the fire started when workers were prepping for service.

When fire crews arrived a little after 8 a.m. Monday, they say they started attacking the roof. Initially, fire officials thought this was a similar situation to the fire at Logan’s in South Charleston. Charleston Fire marshals told WSAZ that the Outback fire was much different from the fire at Logan’s.

The vents at the Outback were cleaned two months ago. They were due for a re-cleaning in October. Charleston Fire marshals say they didn’t find a concerning amount of grease buildup, saying the vents looked clear for the most part. As for a reopening date, fire officials say that is up to the owners, but it could take a while.

“There is extensive smoke damage, and there was some damage to the roof, “ David Wagoner, an assistant fire chief with the Charleston Fire Department, said.

“We had to open a part of the roof to get all of the fire,” Wagoner said.

Restaurant workers managed to escape, and no injuries were reported.

Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest information.

Copyright 2021 WSAZ. All rights reserved.