Hong Kong Buffet closed after morning stove fire

Feb. 17--The Hong Kong Buffet in Jamestown is closed for an undetermined amount of time after a Wednesday morning stove fire.

No staff or customers were in the restaurant at the time the fire was reported and there were no injuries, according to Jamestown Fire Department.

JFD responded to the call from Stutsman County Communications at 9:38 a.m., and six units and 26 firefighters were at the scene at 9:45 a.m., said Fire Chief James Reuther. The fire was under control at 9:56 a.m. and the scene was cleared at 10:27 a.m., he said, after personnel on a ladder truck searched for any fire extension to the roof or chimney.

"We searched for another half hour just to make sure," said JFD Lt. Sheldon Mohr.

The restaurant is located at 605 25th St. SW. Staff began arriving at around 10 a.m. to discover the firefighting scene.

Restaurant manager Tom Guo said it is too soon to say how long the restaurant would be closed, but cleanup would take some time.

"We will have to talk to fire insurance," he said. "It will be a while."

Reuther said the cause appears to be at this time a kitchen stove griddle that was possibly left on. Oil began to burn and although the source of the fire remained at the kitchen stove, the smoke damage is all through the restaurant.

Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. was on scene to disconnect gas service, Reuther said. Otter Tail Power Co. was on scene, but JFD allowed the electricity to remain connected.

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