The Scarborough Communications Center received a 911 call from a passer-by reporting a fire at the Texas Roadhouse located at 600 Gallery Boulevard at 2 p.m. on Jan. 25. The caller said it appeared that the roof was on fire and they could see people on the roof attempting to extinguish a fire.
Scarborough firefighters arrived within minutes to find heavy smoke coming from the roof of the restaurant as well as a smoke inside the restaurant. Firefighters entered the building and encountered a grease fire in the kitchen, located toward the rear of the restaurant. When they entered all visible fire was extinguished. Additional firefighters accessed the roof over aerial ladders and encountered fire coming from a roof top vent unit. Firefighters had to disassemble the roof top vent unit to access the fire which was then extinguished. 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 fire were completely extinguished.
Texas Roadhouse staff members were in the process of preparing their restaurant to open at 3 p.m. Jan. 25 when the fire broke out. There were no customers in the restaurant and all staff members of Texas Roadhouse were able to safely evacuate.
There were no reported injuries to the staff members or the responding firefighters.
Scarborough firefighters were assisted on scene by Portland Fire, South Portland Fire and an ambulance from Biddeford Fire. Old Orchard Fire, Portland Fire and Gorham Fire also responded into Scarborough to cover empty firehouses.
A fire investigation was conducted by the Scarborough Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal’s Office. As a result of the fire occurring in a commercial kitchen, an inspector from the State Health Department responded as well as the Scarborough Code Enforcement Office.
The fire was ruled accidental as a result of a grease fire that occurred in the kitchen ventilation hood system.
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