San Jose

Two-Alarm Fire at South Bay Supermarket Sparked in Kitchen: Officials

A fire broke out Tuesday morning in the kitchen of a Lucky 7 Supermercado in the South Bay, but fire crews were able to prevent the flames from spreading to neighboring businesses.

About 10 employees were inside the supermarket at the Pink Elephant Shopping Center, located on South King Road in East San Jose, when something on the stove caught fire around 7:30 a.m. What quickly became an out-of-control grease fire was called in to the San Jose Fire Department at 7:39 a.m.

Responding firefighters found thick smoke billowing from the front and back of the grocery store when they arrived. Within minutes, more fire crews were called in to keep the two-alarm fire from spreading to half a dozen businesses in the large, one-story building.

“In this case, it was the size,” San Jose Fire Capt. Mitch Matlow said. “We knew other businesses were threatened so that’s why we brought in extra people to limit this fire to just the supermercado — and we were able to.”

Matlow said the kitchen damage will keep the store closed Tuesday, but expressed relief that other businesses were saved. No one was injured and all 10 employees got out safely, he said.

Lucky 7 Supermercado’s owner told NBC Bay Area that he plans to reopen for business Wednesday. The fire won’t lead to any of his 30 employees losing their jobs, he stressed.

King Road was closed for about an hour Tuesday morning, but has since reopened.

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