MIAMI – The popular Cuban restaurant El Palacio de los Jugos caught fire early Tuesday morning.
It happened about 3 a.m. at the restaurant located near Northwest 57th Avenue and West Flagler Street.
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Miami firefighters arrived to find smoke pouring out of the roof vents of a two-story building, separate from the restaurant dining area, Lt. Ignatius Carroll said.
Once firefighters were inside, they immediately extinguished the fire before it could spread to the structure, Carroll said. The building is set up as a large kitchen and food storage for the restaurant.
The owner told firefighters the restaurant closed Monday night and wasn't supposed to open until the next morning. During the night and into the early morning, a cleaning crew were the only occupants of the building.
Carroll said the kitchen was locked when firefighters arrived and it appeared the fire originated near the deep fryer and stove appliances.
Investigators determined the fire was caused by a burner left on a deep fryer during cleaning.
No one was injured.
The restaurant has since reopened.