Firefighter struck by falling ceiling as fire damages Mexican restaurant in Fresno
A Mexican restaurant near Roosevelt High School in southeast Fresno was damaged by fire on Friday afternoon.
El Toro Restaurants at Tulare and Barton avenues will be closed at least temporarily, awaiting a business inspection.
The fire that started around 1:40 p.m. in the attic of the business extensively damaged its roof, ceiling and electrical wiring, Fresno Fire Battalion Chief Brad Dandridge said. Flames did not enter the dining area, and 11 employees and some customers were evacuated safely.
A responding firefighter was knocked to the ground by a collapsing part of the ceiling. Dust from that collapse also got into the eye of another firefighter. They were medically evaluated and released, Dandridge said.
Dandridge said the fire appeared to have been caused by the building’s electrical wiring and was not considered suspicious.
The blaze was one of several in Fresno on Friday, including a small swamp cooler fire on the roof of Leavenworth Elementary School.
