McDonalds’ deep fryer flares flames in Lynnwood

Published 11:05 pm Saturday, October 4, 2008

LYNNWOOD — A deep fryer at a local McDonald’s caught on fire Saturday afternoon.

The fire started at the McDonald’s restaurant in the 2600 block of 196th Street SW about 12:40 p.m., Lynnwood Fire Department Assistant Battalion Chief Tod Gates said.

He said customers and employees were safely evacuated and nobody was hurt.

The fire extinguishing system built into the hood of the fryer went off as designed, Gates said.

Flames were shooting out of a vent but didn’t spread to the restaurant itself.

High temperatures and grease made the fryer an easy target for the flames, Gates said. The fire was an accident.

Gates said the restaurant will likely stay closed for a few days to make the repairs. The estimated cost of the damage is about $20,000.