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A fire broke out around 5 a.m. Sunday at Wingers Bar and Grill, swallowing up the kitchen by the time fire crews arrived.
The restaurant owners said they will be closed for at least 60 days while they sort through the damages.
They were able to save about $20,000 worth of food, a few computers and a safe.
Moscow Volunteer Fire Department Fire Marshal Joe Williams said a preliminary investigation conducted Monday by the department concluded the fire started in an area above a cooking hood. Williams said arson is highly unlikely.
“The exact cause and location are still undetermined,” Williams said.
Firefighters remained on the scene until about 10:30 a.m., and a few investigators stayed until about 11:30 a.m. Williams said the cooking grease that had built up in the restaurant’s air system served as the fire’s accelerant.
“We had a little trouble mostly because of the fire’s location,” Williams said. “It spread out into the roof extending into other areas, and because the fire has weakened the structure, we couldn’t go inside.”
Firefighters had to cut holes in the roof to reach the flames, and although it took only an hour to control, Williams said dealing with the initial blaze was only part of the problem.
“We kept finding small bits of fire, and the smoke damage was quite extensive,” he said.
Although the exterior of the building does not appear badly spoiled, a large portion of the inside was blackened. Williams said the kitchen and food preparation area were completely burned and the office sustained heavy smoke and water damage. The dining area also sustained some smoke and water damage.
The flames were under control within about 30 minutes, and no one was injured fighting the fire.
“We acted quickly and efficiently,” Williams said. “We were well prepared.”
This is Williams first year serving as fire marshal, although he has been a volunteer fire fighter for the past 11 years. He said fires are always unfortunate but especially when it closely affects the community.
“Wingers is a very good business, and I think people are going to miss being able to go (there) for a while,” he said. “Still, our incident commander did a very good job managing the fire. Our volunteers acted bravely … without them it could have turned into a real loss.”
Investigation has been hindered by the structural damage, and the cause of the fire or the cost of the damage is yet to be determined. An insurance investigator specializing in restaurants will arrive on the scene today.
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