Burgers Restaurant - A Study in Blind Spot

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The popular Burgers restaurant on the famous stretch of Westheimer Road in Houston was temporarily closed Wednesday night due to a fire that officials believe may have been started by a disgruntled employee. According to the restaurant's manager, patrons of the restaurant called around about ten o'clock Wednesday evening to report a fire in the kitchen. When the firefighters arrived, they found flames and smoke coming from the restaurant's kitchen. When they attempted to put out the fire, they learned that it was already gutted out.

The restaurant had just completed its scheduled closing for the evening, and most employees told customers several hours before it was scheduled to close that an unfortunate fire had forced the closing of the restaurant. Employees were quickly boarding up windows and other exits at the restaurant, a few blocks away. No one was injured in the fire, according to fire officials. A representative of the management company, however, said later that the entire kitchen had been gutted. He did not provide information as to when the fire occurred or how long it took to put it out.

Many people who live nearby were impressed with how quickly the fire started and how much smoke it created. One neighbor, who lives across the street, saw the smoke and called the fire department right away. A fire truck came right away, he said, and put out the fire. Other patrons also reported seeing the fire crew arrive within minutes. There were no reports of damage to the restaurant itself.

Burgers Restaurant opened in the Cedar Shopping Center at Prospect Point and Westheimer Road. It had previously operated under different names, most of them short. According to the restaurant's website, the business name change occurred because of "incident(s) not related to the business." In recent years, the location has consistently ranked among the best restaurants in the Houston area. A visit to the restaurant provides the only glimpse into its somewhat mysterious history, as no other records or references are available.

Workers at Burgers Restaurant were interviewed by phone. Most reported that they received little or no training on safety issues, and that they were not immediately informed of the problems that would be filed when filing the complaints. One employee said that he believed the restaurant's operations manual was being used as a guide for employees, but that this was not the case. Some employees did report that they were made to stand on the hot floor and cookers were not available to them until after they had already entered the restaurant and began cooking. Another employee said that he noticed the cooking equipment in the restaurant did not have protective covers on them and that he saw oil on the ceiling in the kitchen.

The restaurant did not receive a certification from the Fire marshal's office, nor did it have a certificate of occupancy. Because it is a catering business, fire marshals have no jurisdiction over it. Neither is the HPA, which would have authorized the business if it met the requirements. The owner faces criminal charges in juvenile court. He faces up to one year in jail and a fine of up to three thousand dollars. He is expected to appear in court on the first of July.