Laramie firefighters responded to the Sonic Drive-In at 2510 Grand Avenue Friday afternoon to extinguish a fire that the automatic extinguishing system failed to control.

The Laramie Fire Department at 2:43 p.m. dispatched two engines, a ladder truck, a command vehicle and two ambulances for a report of a fire in a fryer at Sonic. According to a department news release, engine four arrived at 2:47 p.m. and firefighters found flames in the fryer area upon entering the building.

The department says the automatic extinguishing system deployed, but was unable to control the fire. The crew of engine four knocked down the flames with dry chemical extinguishers at 2:51 p.m. and the blaze was extinguished seven minutes later.

Sonic employees and customers evacuated the building. No injuries were reported.

“The flames were coming out of the back of this unit and up into the hood area,” says C Shift Commander Kevin Lam.

According to the news release, damage from the fire was contained to the fryer and hood system.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

“I believe that Sonic is going to be closed until they can get their fryer and hood system repaired,” says Lam.

Sonic employees continued to clean up late Friday, and an employee who answered the phone said they expect the restaurant to be open again Saturday morning. Sonic staff could not provide further information, and company representatives were not immediately available for comment Friday night.

Laramie police officers diverted traffic on Grand Avenue for a short time Friday afternoon. Lam says crews from Rocky Mountain Power and Black Hills Energy also responded to help control utilities.

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