A fast food restaurant that was unscathed during recent wildfires was engulfed in flames Thursday while kitchen staff were making a large order of burgers for first responders.
A grease fire ignited a charbroiler and filled the exhaust system at the Carl's Jr. around 11 a.m. as the staff was filling an order for 165 Super Star double hamburgers with cheese, according to the Press Democrat.
"The charbroilers are high temperature," franchise co-owner Greg Funkhouser told the Press Democrat. "There was so much meat going through them at the time it happened."
The Santa Rosa Fire Department had the fire under control in about 15 minutes. Building damage is estimated at $75,000. The six employees were uninjured.
An Oct. 9 fire destroyed numerous businesses around the restaurant but left the building undamaged.
"We made it through the big one only to get taken out by this," Funkhouser said. "It's going to be a while before we reopen."
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