Kitchen fire causes $450,000 in damage at Newport Beach restaurant
A blaze at a Newport Beach restaurant Sunday morning caused almost half a million dollars in damage and sent a firefighter to a hospital with minor injuries, according to authorities.
Crews rushed to Ho Sum Bistro at 3112 Balboa Blvd. around 2 a.m. after authorities received a report about smoke coming from the building, according to the Newport Beach Fire Department.
At the scene, firefighters saw thick black smoke pouring out of the back of the restaurant, according to authorities.
“Despite poor visibility and high heat, firefighters quickly searched the inside for occupants and extinguished the fire,” the Newport Beach Fire Department said in a news release.
A total of 43 firefighters at the scene managed to keep the flames from spreading past the kitchen, where the blaze started, but the entire building sustained heat and smoke damage, fire officials said.
Authorities estimated the blaze caused about $250,000 in damage to the building and an additional $200,000 in damage to equipment and other property inside.
The injured firefighter was treated at Hoag Hospital and released, according to fire officials.
Authorities are still investigating what caused the fire.
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Jeremiah Dobruck, jeremiah.dobruck2@latimes.com
Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck
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