ROCK SPRINGS — The Sweetwater County Fire District #1 Fire Department responded January 15th, 2020 at 03:41am to 8 Purple Sage Rd. (Cruel Jack’s Travel Plaza) when a fire was discovered in the kitchen area of the A&W restaurant. Employees of the Travel Plaza convenience store discovered the fire and notified 911. The fire engulfed and destroyed the entire kitchen area of the restaurant and caused extensive smoke and water damage in the remaining areas of the building. The Rock Springs Fire Department was called to assist with a ladder truck due to the extent of the fire and difficulties accessing areas of the fire.
The fire was extinguished as of 7:00 am Wednesday Morning. Damage estimates are not available at the time of this release. Fire Investigators from Sweetwater County Fire District #1 and the Wyoming State Fire Marshalls Office conducted a joint fire investigation Wednesday morning. After an extensive investigation that included scene examination, interviews and the utilization of on scene security surveillance videos the fire was determined by fire investigators to be accidental in nature.
The on-scene video surveillance system was able to record the actual start of the fire in a pile of rags on a shelf in the kitchen area. Fire investigators determined that the cause of ignition was by spontaneous combustion from oil saturated rags.
Although no civilians were injured in the fire one firefighter received 2nd degree burns to a small area on his shoulder.
Sweetwater County Fire District #1 would like to thank the Rock Springs Fire Department, Sweetwater Medics, Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Department and the Sweetwater County Combined Communications Center for all the assistance in this event.
