A quiet Saturday morning at Southern Still Tennessee Bar & Grill on South Church Street in Murfreesboro turned hectic when a kitchen stove fire sent smoke through the restaurant and into part of the attic. Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department crews got to the scene quickly and knocked the flames down, and officials say the two employees who were inside made it out without injuries. The restaurant is now closed while gas and electric service remain shut off, and the damage is being evaluated.
Crews Say Fire Started On A Stove And Reached The Attic
According to WSMV, the Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department reported that the blaze began on a stove and extended into a section of the attic before firefighters stopped it from spreading farther. The station notes that the business was closed to customers at the time, that employees called 911 when they spotted the fire, and that crews requested that gas and electric service be shut off while officials assess the extent of the damage.
What The Fire Department Posted
The Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department shared more details in a Facebook update, including a rundown of the units that responded, per the department’s post on Facebook. Ladder 1, Ladder 4, Ladder 2, Engine 3, and Engine 10 were dispatched, and photos show firefighters working inside the smoke-filled kitchen and opening up the roof to reach the fire overhead. The department said crews were able to put out the flames quickly to keep them from spreading and confirmed that employees inside the building were the ones who called 911.
Why Restaurant Kitchens Are At Risk
Commercial kitchens are no strangers to this kind of scare. Cooking equipment is the leading cause of nonresidential building fires nationwide, and federal data shows that cooking has accounted for the largest share of nonresidential building fires over the past decade, which is exactly why quick knockdowns and utility shut-offs are so critical to limiting damage. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, tens of thousands of nonresidential cooking fires have been reported in recent years.
Business Remains Closed Pending Inspection
Southern Still lists its address as 1950 S. Church St., and local business listings place the restaurant there, with a website and contact number on file with directories such as MapQuest. Officials told WSMV that the bar and grill will stay closed while gas and electric service remain off and investigators continue their assessment of the building.
The Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department’s Facebook update, which shows firefighters working both in the kitchen and on the roof, did not offer any estimate on when Southern Still might reopen. City inspections will ultimately decide when the restaurant can safely welcome customers back.
