Lafayette, LA – Lafayette firefighters responded to Pete’s restaurant on Johnston Street at 2:35 pm this afternoon. An employee of the restaurant called 911 to report a fire on the exterior of the building. Multiple callers passing by reported heavy smoke coming from the building. First responders arrived on the scene within two minutes. Firefighters confirmed the building was on fire and spreading to the roof. Suppression crews worked for twenty minutes to extinguish the fire. Portions of the building sustained heavy fire damage. The seating area sustained heavy smoke damage.
The business was occupied at the time. All employees exited without any injuries.
Lafayette fire investigators determined the fire originated in a fenced area attached to the building. The heavy black smoke was mainly due to an automated grease maintenance machine with two large grease containers for the kitchen fryers. Only employees and food supply personnel utilize the area.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
