Fire crews battle Kowloon blaze

SAUGUS – More than 30 firefighters from five different towns and cities responded to a two-alarm fire that broke out at Kowloon on Route 1 Tuesday afternoon.Fire Chief James Blanchard said the fire occurred at about 3 p.m. in the 15-inch void space between the roof and the ceiling in the back of the building and above the freezer.No injuries were reported and there was no damage to the actual dining area or kitchen. Firefighters worked to cut open the roof to get to the fire, which took about two hours to fully extinguish.”It’s all above an enclosed freezer so there’s really no serious damage to the interior of the restaurant,” said Blanchard. “There was a smoke condition but we vented it out. It was a tremendous amount of work to cut the roof decking off the roof with chainsaws and pull it up with hooks.”Kowloon co-owner Stanley Wong said roofers had been working in the area earlier in the day.”We didn’t smell any smoke until we got up (to the roof),” said Wong. “It must have been smoldering from some roof work.”Blanchard, however, said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.”(Roofers) said there were no torches (being used),” said Blanchard. “But a cigarette could have done it too. We don’t know. It’s early stages we have to find out if there was any cutting or welding going on or anything like that.”With temperatures in Saugus reaching 91 degrees Tuesday, Blanchard said additional crews had to be called in to give firefighters a break.”On a day like today you have to strike additional alarms to get enough people here to rotate your guys,” said Blanchard. “Humans can’t stand this heat and you have to wear all that stuff.”Firefighters from Melrose, Wakefield, Lynn, Revere and Lynnfield also responded to the fire as crews began wrapping up work at around 6 p.m. Kowloon was re-opened shortly after that, after building and health inspectors gave the go ahead.The fire was the second at Kowloon in three years. No one was injured then and Wong was thankful that the results were the same Tuesday.”Thank goodness it’s minor and everybody is safe,” said Wong. “We’ll have to repair the roof but that’s minor. We can’t thank them enough for everybody showing up.”