Fire/rescue crews responded to an 8:45 a.m. alarm Tuesday (Sept 13) to Ling’s Chop Suey House in Hilo for a kitchen fire.

Crews arrived to find extensive smoke coming from the exhaust above the kitchen area. Firefighters put out the fire using a dry chemical fire extinguisher and a sprinkler system in the kitchen area. The fire was declared out at 9 a.m.

Checks of the ceiling determined no fire above but high temperatures in the exhaust duct prompted crews to use a fire hose and firefighting foam to cool down the exhaust system.

The cause of the fire was determined to be grease build up on and in the gas cooking range. The fire itself was contained to the gas range.

Damage to the 1,600 square foot restaurant was determined to be about $120,000 with $320,000 of property saved.

There were no injuries or roadblocks involved with the fire.