A frozen exhaust fan motor brought the Carson City Fire Department to the Station Grille and Rotisserie early Thursday afternoon, but the fire was not in the fan.
Two engines, a rescue unit and a chief officer responded to the 1:14 p.m. call. Firefighters found a room filled with a haze and the exhaust fan motor problem, but no fire.
"An hour later, at about 2:15 p.m., we discovered a fire in the wall behind the mounted cooking unit," said Stacey Giomi, battalion chief for the department. "The fire was apparently caused by a displaced protective shield that either slipped down or became dislodged. The unit is gas-fired, with an open flame that apparently reached into the wall space between the kitchen and outside wall."
By the time the flames were discovered, they had reached four to five feet inside the wall. Once exposed, they were quickly extinguished, he said.
There were no injuries. Giomi said the damage was estimated at $6,500 and could have been a lot worse, if officials had not been called to the scene for the fan problem.
The Carson City restaurant was scheduled to be closed for cleaning, repairs and vacations from Jan. 1-16. This year, that break is starting early.
The restaurant is expected to reopen at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 16.