DALLAS — A firefighter was hospitalized with minor injuries after fighting a fire at a Hooters restaurant in downtown Dallas on Monday morning, Dallas Fire-Rescue says.
The fire was producing smoke at the Hooters located on North Lamar Street, just north of Woodall Rodgers Freeway, according to a release from Dallas Fire-Rescue.
Officials said crews responded at 11:23 a.m. and found a "light haze" of smoke in the building. The fire initially prompted a one-alarm response from fire crews.
When crews assessed the scene, they found more significant structural problems. Firefighters then escalated the response to a two-alarm.
"In the back corner where we initially saw the smoke, they have a cooler back there,” said Captain Kevin Gallegos, an arson investigator with Dallas Fire-Rescue. “In this case, it was an exterior wall and a freezer compartment so it allows fire to travel, but it also makes it difficult for us to be able to get in there to attack the fire."
Captain Gallegos said his team is still working to determine the cause.
The fire was controlled and extinguished by shortly before 2 p.m., officials say.
“Along with the fire damage, smoke damage pretty much throughout the interior, our fire crews had to put a lot of water on the fire in order to extinguish it,” said Captain Gallegos. “Unfortunately, I think it might be a little bit before they are able to operate.”
There were Hooters employees inside when the fire started. None of them were injured.
A firefighter was taken to Parkland in stable condition with minor injuries to his head, face and leg, according to Dallas Fire-Rescue. The firefighter is expected to make a full recovery.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Check back for more details.