It appears an employee’s cigarette started a minor fire around 5:24 p.m. Friday at Kalloway’s Restaurant and Pub, which forced the restaurant to close on one of the busiest nights of the week.
According to Detective Art Schrah, of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Fire Investigation Unit, the fire originated above the 500 N. Lapeer Rd. restaurant’s back door, which serves as an entrance/exit for the kitchen.
‘It’s a smoking area for the employees and it appears that someone probably set a cigarette up on top of there,? he said. ‘I really didn’t have anybody that’s admitting to doing that, but it has been a past practice.?
The cigarette burned the 1×4 wood trim upon which it was set, fell behind the woodwork and started a small fire inside the wall.
‘It’s an accidental fire,? Schrah said. ‘Actually, the damage was fairly minimal.?
Oxford firefighters had to open up the wall around the door to make sure the fire hadn’t spread and was completely extinguished, according to Fire Chief Jack LeRoy.
Because a dry chemical fire extinguisher was used by kitchen staff to put out the flames, Kalloway’s was forced to close for the night in order to clean up the kitchen, which was coated in chemical powder.
Once the Oakland County Health Division cleared the restaurant, it re-opened for business on Saturday.
Schrah said the restaurant probably lost more money in business than due to fire damage.
LeRoy estimated there was probably less than $500 worth of damage.