Practice News Article #2: Fire

Grease Fire Swallows Up Three-Story Building

“Ya man, like I was in the kitchen cooking and the fire I was cooking with got on the grease-I couldn’t put it out fast enough.” Said Pedro Sanchez about the kitchen fire that took place at his restaurant on the corner of 21st Street and Washington around 2:00 pm Wednesday afternoon.

Pedro’s Mexican Restaurant has been around for nearly two years and is well liked by many. A loyal customer and friend was at the site as the blazing event unfolded. Pedro was in the kitchen cooking when suddenly a grease fire broke out. Pedro was able to get hold of a fire extinguisher but the fire got too big too quick. Amidst the cries for someone to get help, Pedro suffered fire burns to his hands and was taken to Mckay-Dee Hospital.

The restaurant is on the ground level of a three-story building. The other two floors are apartments. One occupied by Pedro himself, and the other by Pedro’s brother Miguel and his two daughters, Mariana who is four-years old and Mercedes who just turned two. Miguel heard the screams from his brother in the restaurant below. He immediately grabbed his daughters and got out of the building. The three suffered minor smoke inhalation. Miguel said his daughters were doing better than he was and that he was glad the firefighters arrived on the scene as quickly as they did.

Rachel Calhoun, who is the owner of the building received a phone call and arrived at the restaurant nearly ten minutes after the fire started. She is fortunate enough to have full-coverage on the building. She hopes to rebuild with no problems and keep Pedro around. Rachel said, “This is the first time something like this has happened to me and I think they (the firefighters) did everything they could. When it comes down to it, I’m just glad that everyone was able to walk away.” An investigation will take place to determine the actual cause of the fire, but Rachel believes that it was only an accident and that Pedro has done nothing wrong.

In a Press Conference following the incident, the Deputy Fire Chief, Greg Chamberlain said, “We are glad we got everyone out safely. The building was lost, but human life is more important. I consider this a success."