OCEAN CITY — Fire system sprinklers and a quick-thinking employee are being credited this week with minimizing damage to a popular uptown restaurant.
Around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the Ocean City Fire Department was dispatched to a reported building fire at Liquid Assets restaurant on 94th Street. Firefighter arrived and found the popular single-story restaurant evacuated.
Upon entering the establishment, firefighters discovered one single fire sprinkler actively flowing water near a propane oven. In the kitchen area, firefighters found light smoke conditions and evidence of a fire that had been quelled by the fire sprinkler system with the assistance of an employee using a Class-K fire extinguisher.
“The quick actions of the staff at Liquid Assets and the fire sprinkler system saved lives and property at the restaurant,” said Ocean City Fire Marshal David Hartley. “This is one example of why the Office of the Fire Marshal maintains our Fire Protection Quality Assurance Program to ensure all fire protection systems work as intended during an emergency.”
Thanks to the quick response of the fire sprinklers and the swift actions of employees at Liquid Assets, along with the rapid response from the fire department, the restaurant did not sustain serious damage and re-opened the next day.
The on-scene investigation by the Fire Marshal’s Office revealed the fire started as a result of a propane appliance malfunction. The fire has been classified as accidental.