UPDATE: Officials say oily rags stored in a backroom may have started the fire. The official cause has been ruled as accidental.
KELOWNA — Inspectors have ruled out an electrical fault as the cause of a fire that heavily damaged a Kelowna restaurant.
Fire ripped through the Twisted Tomato restaurant on Bernard Avenue early Monday morning.
Heavy black smoke was coming from the front entrance when crews arrived.
Investigators were at the scene Monday morning — looking for a cause although arson has been ruled out.
They say it definitely wasn’t electrical and that it appears the fire may have started in a back room where staff puts the dirty dishes.
“I guess it’s their dirty-room they call it. As they clear the dishes off, they’re stored on a shelf. And there’s also the bread maker and stuff in there. We just don’t know what started the fire from there,” says fire inspector, Rick Euper.
He says the inside of the building sustained heavy heat and smoke damage.
Neighbouring businesses, including the Bread Company, were not damaged.
The Bread Company had to shut down for four months as a result of a fire in 2009.
“We know the implications of smoke and fire damage,” says co-owner, Dan Bronwyk.
He figures his business escaped the fire because of the quick response from the Kelowna Fire Department and a firewall.
ORIGINAL STORY
KELOWNA — A downtown Kelowna business has sustained heavy damage as a result of an early morning fire Monday.
Fire broke out at the Twisted Tomato restaurant at 371 Bernard Avenue shortly after 2:30 a.m.
Officials say black smoke was coming from the front door of the two storey commercial building when they arrived.
There was no one in the building at the time.
Although the restaurant sustained heavy damage, officials say none of the neighbouring businesses were damaged.
Officials say the cause of the fire does not appear to be suspicious.
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