[symple_googlemap title=”” location=”3988 Barranca Parkway, Irvine, CA” height=”300″ zoom=”13″]
A worker soldering copper pipe started a fire at an Irvine restaurant Tuesday, but firefighters were fortunately nearby and the flames were quickly doused before anyone was injured, an Orange County Fire Authority captain said.
The blaze started about 11:20 a.m. at the California Fish Grill, 3988 Barranca Parkway, Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi said.
Paramedics in the area saw “thick black smoke coming from the restaurant and immediately called for additional resources and started evacuating the restaurant’s 30 customers and 20 employees,” Concialdi said, adding the firefighters only “had to drive 200 feet” to get to the blaze.
The blaze was controlled by 11:46 a.m., Concialdi said.
The fire caused about $20,000 damage to the building and $10,000 damage to its contents, Concialdi said.
The next-door Panera Bread closed until about 1 p.m., then operated without natural gas through the afternoon, Concialdi said.
— City News Service