The Columbus Division of Fire investigated an electrical fire that broke out at PJ’s Chicken Grill & Subs, 15 E. Frambes Ave., Tuesday morning and caused about $50,000 in damages, which have forced the business to close.
Four fire engines, a rescue squad and two ladder trucks were dispatched to the scene at 9:07 a.m., said Kelly McGuire, spokeswoman for the division of fire, and vehicles arrived at 9:11 a.m.
McGuire said the fire was caused by a faulty electrical outlet in the kitchen, which malfunctioned earlier that morning. Damage, she said, was contained to that area and inside the wall of the two-story, 1,000-square-foot building, which is valued at $201,000.
About $40,000 of the damages were to the structure, she said, while the remaining $10,000 in damage was to contents inside the restaurant. The restaurant contained an estimated $20,000 in items at the time of the fire, she said.
Restaurant owner Sam Laham said the fire started between 7 and 8 a.m. and the business does not open until 4 p.m. during summer quarter.
Although no customers were in the restaurant at the time, McGuire said tenants living in the second story discovered the fire.
“The building is for business and for residents,” she said, explaining the residents live on the second floor and they likely have smoke detectors. “The restaurant didn’t have any smoke detectors in the immediate area of the fire, however that doesn’t mean there weren’t any in the place.”
The fire report, she said, did not indicate the building violated any codes and the fire is no longer being investigated.
She said 25 firefighters went to the fire, which was contained by 9:31 a.m.
Because the fire was caused by an electrical problem, McGuire said, the owner has to take the claim to his insurance company, which is unknown to investigators.
Laham said he learned of the fire after being contacted by the building landlord, Bank One Trust Co., which was notified by the tenants living above PJ’s.
He said several boxes of food and numerous other items were destroyed.
Before PJ’s can reopen, electrical wires and phone lines need to be replaced, Laham said.
He said an insurance claim will pay for most or all the damages and lost products.
“I’d like to apologize to our customers,” Laham said. “I’m looking forward to serving them again as well as we possibly can.”
According to the county auditor’s Web site, the property was built in 1974. Further information was not available.
