(WNY News Now) – FREDONIA, N.Y. — An explosion at the McDonald’s restaurant on East Main Street in Fredonia sent two employees to hospitals Sunday night, prompting a large emergency response and a fire investigation that has since ruled the incident accidental.
According to the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, multiple calls came in to the dispatch center around 10:20 p.m. on October 5 reporting an explosion with injuries at the McDonald’s located at 500 East Main Street. The Fredonia Fire Department and Fredonia Police Department responded to the scene, assisted by the Dunkirk Police Department, New York State Police, Alstar Ambulance, and the Chautauqua County Office of Emergency Services.
A female employee was airlifted to a Buffalo hospital for treatment of her injuries, while another female employee was transported to a local hospital. A male employee was evaluated on site and released.
Investigators from the Chautauqua County Fire Investigation Team were called in to determine the origin and cause of the explosion. The investigation revealed that an employee had moved a grilling unit to clean behind it, inadvertently detaching the natural gas line supplying the grill. The released gas ignited when it came into contact with another active grill, triggering the explosion.
Officials noted that built-in safety systems automatically shut off the gas supply and extinguished the flames, preventing further damage to the building.
The restaurant was temporarily closed following the incident. The fire has been officially ruled accidental in nature, according to the fire investigation team.
Leave a Reply