Water heater starts blaze

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BROOKINGS – A fire that started in a water heater at Applebee’s Tuesday night briefly closed the Brookings restaurant.

Brookings firefighters were called to the scene at 3001 LeFevre Drive at 9:15 p.m. Tuesday for a report of smoke in the building.

Fire Chief Darrell Hartmann said about 15 people were still inside the restaurant not evacuating, although managers were trying to get them out. They evacuated once firefighters arrived.

The fire started with a venting malfunction in the water heater, which was blowing flames onto a plywood panel on the wall next to it, Hartmann said. 

No injuries and no major damage were reported.

Firefighters cleared the scene at 10:12 p.m., and the restaurant was back open for business late Wednesday afternoon.