Fire damages popular Mexican restaurant; firefighter and 1 other injured – WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio

Lina Portman3 weeks ago

0 1 minute read

XENIA — Firefighters worked to put out a fire at a Xenia restaurant Thursday afternoon.

Firefighters were called to Los Mariachis on Detroit Street around 2:10 p.m. for reports of a dumpster fire. When crews arrived on scene, they found the fire was in the building, according to Xenia Fire Chief Ken Riggsby.

>> PHOTOS: Popular Mexican restaurant damaged by fire in Xenia

As shown on Information Center 7 at 6:00 a.m.our team learned that the fire actually started when a large freezer caught fire and then spread to the building's attic.

Witnesses recalled seeing smoke coming from the building while they were walking their dogs.

“We're really concerned,” Bill Russell said.

Two people were taken to hospital for evaluation. One was a restaurant manager and the other was a firefighter who was injured after falling at the scene.

Riggsby said the speed at which the fire was spreading prompted them to sound a second alarm for the fire.

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“That was how fast the fire was spreading,” Riggsby said. “The goal is obviously to protect the property, and we got hurt early on, so we put out that second alarm, just to make sure we had the proper equipment here to cover what we had.”

Although the extent of the damage caused by the fire is currently unknown, Riggsby believes it can be repaired.

The fire remains under investigation. The restaurant is temporarily closed.

Fire at the Xenia restaurant