Fryer Fire Shuts Down McDonald’s Restaurant

The Union McDonald’s restaurant is expected to reopen Thursday evening after a small fryer caught fire Monday.

Union Fire Protection District Chief Russ Hamilton said crews responded at 9:50 a.m. to the restaurant at 1010 E. Main St. 

He said smoke had filled the building and was leaving through the roof vents and eaves. There were no injuries.

“Firefighters used hose lines containing foam to extinguish the oil-based fire,” Hamilton said. “The fire was contained to the area where it started and did not extend into the ceiling or roof.”

Store owner Debbie Klak said she is awaiting the arrival of new equipment and inspections before the restaurant can reopen. That will most likely be Thursday, she said.

“I’d like to open today, but we are waiting for equipment,” she said. 

Union fire inspectors and the Franklin County Health Department must inspect the building before it can reopen.

“We are just making sure we handle things the right way,” Klak said. “We are concerned with the customers and employees. We have our employees in management helping us.”

Klak added that she arrived at the scene seven minutes after the fire started and everybody was out of the restaurant and safe.

“Nobody got hurt and we got accolades from the fire departments for the promptness on the way the managers handled the situation and got everyone out safely,” she said.

Fire crews from Beaufort-Leslie and St. Clair fire districts provided mutual aid at the scene. Union police and ambulance crews also responded to the restaurant.