‘There’s a lot of work to do’: Fire temporarily closes Washington City Burger King

Written by Chris Reed
August 28, 2023

WASHINGTON CITY — A column of smoke could be seen rising from the Washington City Burger King on Red Cliffs Drive Monday afternoon, and it had nothing to do with what was cooking in the kitchen. 

A fire in the roof vent system sent smoke rising from the roof of Burger King on Red Cliffs Drive, Washington City, Utah, Aug. 28, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

Both Washington City and St. George firefighters were dispatched to the fast food restaurant at 975 W. Red Cliffs Drive just before 2:15 p.m. By the time they got there, firefighters said they could see flames coming from the roof.

By about 2:40 p.m., firefighters were stowing away their hoses and equipment.  

After all of the employees of the restaurant were evacuated unharmed, Washington City Fire Chief Matt Evans told St. George News the plan of attack was from above and below.

“The fire appeared to be in their ductwork. It’s just a matter if it was started down low or up high,” Evans said. “So we sent one crew in through the bottom to take care of anything that could have started down there and another crew up onto the roof to take care of it above their system.”

Evans said the fire appeared to have started in the restaurant’s hood ventilation system. 

Firefighters could be seen on the roof of the Burger King as motorists passed on busy Red Cliffs below, with a noticeable column of white smoke rising about 15 feet above.

Several firefighters had just arrived from a nearby house fire in Washington City earlier in the day. 

The Washington City Police Department provided additional support at the scene.

The exterior of the restaurant appeared to be undamaged from below, but firefighters said there was damage in the ductwork and roof of the Burger King and water damage inside the restaurant. 

Smoke rises out of the roof of the Burger King, which had a fire in its roof venting system, Washington City, Utah, Aug. 28, 2023 | Photo by Chris Reed, St. George News

Evans said the hood system did have its own fire suppression system but it was still not enough to quell the fire. The fire chief added the system is regularly inspected to make sure it is in compliance.  

The owner of the restaurant declined comment to the St. George News. But Evans said it appeared the damage was enough that the restaurant would remain closed for the rest of the day and possibly for longer. 

“Probably won’t be open today. There’s a lot of work to do,” Evans said. “As far as it goes, the damage inside will be from the water and then the hood systems did activate so that, that would release all the chemical that way. But there’s no structural damage other than the hood.”

The blaze was similar to one at the Top Spot fast food restaurant in Cedar City just over a month ago that also involved the vent system. That restaurant remains closed. 

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chris Reed serves as a reporter for St. George News, where he has been honored with several awards from the Society of Professional Journalists for his work, including first-place accolades. He started his journalism career as a sports reporter and editor in Southern California where he once compared shoe sizes with Shaquille O'Neal and exchanged mix tapes with members of the Los Angeles Kings. After growing up in the San Fernando Valley learning karate skills from Mr. Miyagi and spending a decade in Las Vegas mostly avoiding the casinos, he came to St. George for love and married his soulmate, a lifetime Southern Utah resident. He is the proud father of two boys, his youngest a champion against both autism and Type 1 diabetes.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGNews

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