Charlestown Cafe update, from owner Larry

| Charlestown Cafe | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

Two nights after the Charlestown Cafe fire, another update from owner Larry Mellum: Regarding when the CC will reopen, he says, “I can’t really give you a time frame as yet but the damage doesn’t appear to be extensive enough to cause any kind of long-term closure. Our best guess barring any setbacks would be early next week if all goes as planned.” Larry also says it’s suspected that the fryer fire started because a thermostat failed and the oil got so hot (the cook tried to turn it off but couldn’t), it “spontaneously combusted.”

BGH February 6, 2008 (9:06 pm)

Great news in no serious damage and that CC should be open early next week.

Mac February 6, 2008 (10:21 pm)

It’s not spontaneous combustion if you’re actually heating the damn stuff. That’s called an accident.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_combustion

Jim February 7, 2008 (1:34 am)

Auto Ignition point would be a more accurate term. Somewhere around 600 degrees. Problem is as restaurants switch to more vegetable oil in their fryers, the fire suppression systems can’t handle them as well. Fire suppression is design to work with the very fatty acids we are removing from the oils. Furthermore once vegetable oil ignites its makeup changes and the auto ignition temperature drops 50 degrees. Once the extinguishers have emptied the fire can auto ignite again at the lower temperature.

Erik February 7, 2008 (11:08 am)

Every time I see Larry’s name I can’t get the late Larry ‘Bud’ Melman’s face out of my mind!

BGH February 7, 2008 (3:34 pm)

Who cares about how it stared or spontaneous combustion. I care that it will be back open next week. My daughter started to cry when she saw the fire. She and the rest of my family love the place.