Kitchen Fire Quickly Extinguished At Brick Restaurant

BRICK, NJ — A kitchen fire at Brownstone Pancake Factory that started with a pot of burning oil was brought under control thanks in part to the building's sprinkler system, Brick fire officials said.

There were no injuries reported, officials said.

The fire was reported at 8:26 a.m. Wednesday and firefighters from Pioneer Hose Fire Company, led by Chief Vincent Pischettola, saw flames when they arrived, fire officials said.

The fire was brought under control by a single fire sprinkler head in the kitchen where an employee had moved a large burning pot of oil, fire officials said.

The fire department secured the sprinkler head and mopped up the surrounding fire damage and ventilated the building of smoke, they said.

Several staff members who were on duty evacuated when the fire alarm sounded, officials said, but there were no customers at that time.

The Ocean County Health Department and the Brick Township Bureau of Fire Safety responded. Assistant Fire Marshal Aubrey Borden investigated.

"The Bureau of Fire Safety would like to remind you that it is important for the public to follow the instructions of store management as well as emergency personnel and move promptly to a safe location in the event of an emergency," fire officials said. "In addition, the importance of a working fire sprinkler system and alarm system minimized the damage to the restaurant, which should reopen once the systems are back in service."