Roosters’ Olentangy River Road location is currently closed due to a fire. Credit: Courtesy of Nicole Cox
The Olentangy River Road location of the casual restaurant chain Roosters Wings caught fire July 3 and is currently closed to the public.
According to the Columbus Division of Fire’s report, a fire occurred in the entirety of the restaurant’s kitchen hood system. The Ansul system — a fire suppression system often installed in kitchens — discharged before the arrival of emergency services but was unable to control the fire because the flames were above the system’s nozzles. Everyone in the restaurant successfully evacuated and no one was injured.
Fire personnel arrived around 6:19 p.m. and were on the scene for one hour and 23 minutes. According to the fire report, the equipment involved in the ignition was a “grill, hibachi [or] barbecue.” The cause of ignition is under investigation, but the report cites a “failure to clean” as a contributing factor to ignition.
Nicole Cox, vice president of marketing and public relations at Roosters Inc., said the fire was a grease fire, and the equipment — which was a grill — was not dirty or unkempt. She said grease buildup is common in restaurants when staff is busy, and that the fire quickly expanded beyond the immediate capabilities of said staff.
Damage was mostly contained within the hood system and vents, according to the fire report.
Cox said the Roosters team hopes to promptly re-open the Olentangy River Road location for community members, as it is currently getting equipment back in working order. A reopening date has not yet been announced.
