Alert Peet's Coffee Staffer, Sprinkler Saves Rubio's Restaurant

MENLO PARK, CA — Perhaps a Peet's coffee employee started the day with her caffeine when she called 911 with a complaint of smoke and gas fumes from Rubio's Coastal Grill situated next door on El Camino Real.

The Menlo Park Fire Protection District responded to the shopping center at 515 El Camino at 4:45 a.m. in which Capt. Ken Babcock and the crew of Menlo Fire Engine 6 found the restaurant full of white smoke.

Capt. Ken Babcock went to work fast, requesting a full first alarm structure fire response which brought in five engines, an aerial ladder truck and two battalion chiefs with 21 total personnel. A smoldering and melted garbage that had caught on fire but isolated by a single-activated sprinkler head was found.

Firefighters checked for hidden fire in both the walls and the common attic space above the store and found none. After the mop up, the incident was brought under control by 5 a.m.

Fire Investigators working with Rubio’s staff members, used interior surveillance camera footage to assist with their investigation.

“We can see smoke start to come from the garbage can at 2 a.m and then catch on fire just after 4.30 a.m. It is then primarily extinguished by the activated sprinkler head. We believe the cause is spontaneous combustion from discarded towels that had been used to clean-up grease and oils in the kitchen which were then discarded into the trash can,” Fire Marshal Jon Johnston said.

Fire Investigators were perplexed that the water flow from the sprinkler system did not activate a local and monitored alarm system. Investigators left the scene at 8.39 a.m and turned the business over to the owners whose goal it was to get the restaurant back open as quickly as possible.

“The sprinkler water suppression system, quick action of the Peet’s employees in calling 911 and fire crews that minimized further damage saved the day today ensuring that this business will be back up and serving the community in days, not months, as we have experienced in other commercial business fires in this area," Chief Harold Schapelhouman said. "In downtown Menlo Park, half of the older buildings are still not equipped with fire suppression systems and are extremely vulnerable to fires and rapid fire spread.”