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Cigarette suspected cause of fire at Frickers

Employees, customers evacuated from restaurant, which had about $1,000 in damage.

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By Kelly Mori, Staff Writer Updated 11:14 PM Friday, July 3, 2009

A tossed cigarette is being blamed for a fire, Friday, July 3, at Fricker’s restaurant, 1616 Upper Valley Pike.

The fire which was contained inside a wall near the main entrance, caused about $1,000 in damage and was put out about 30 minutes after fire officials arrived at the scene shortly after 7 p.m., said German Twp. Fire Chief Tim Holman.

About 20 customers and employees stood outside the restaurant as fire officials knocked out an interior wall to gain access to the fire.

Fire officials used a thermal imager to locate the fire inside the wall.

Amy Stall Smith said her family had just finished their meal when diners and employees began to smell smoke.

They had evacuated the building by the time fire officials arrived.

“It looks like it started in a crease between the sidewalk and building,” Holman said. “Looks like it was a cigarette that started it.”

Health officials were called to inspect the restaurant before it could reopen.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0347 or kmori@coxohio.com.

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I am a smoker. I put my cigs out and then put the butts in my pocket or my purse, if there is not an ashtray around. Remember ppl, when u point a finger @ someone, there r 3 fingers pointing back at u. I am a Springfield native and my kids live in Springfield, I now live in Sandusky and even here I c more trash on the ground then I do cig. butts.

Angela M. Campbell
5:24 PM, 7/7/2009

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I am a non-smoker and agree that cigarette butts are nasty. My husband is a smoker, but uses common sense. Don't say every smoker "NEVER" uses their ashtray. He does. A cigarette butt is approximately 1" long. They are @ the doors of the restaurants, because that's where the cans are to dispose of them. It's disgusting to have them there, but the alternative is on the ground. Maybe we should worry about the 20 oz pop bottles and fast food bags all over our nation's roads and highways.

DH in Urbana
10:10 AM, 7/6/2009

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I am a smoker and yes I don't agree with throwing cigarettes out the window or dumping ashtrays in parking lots. But honestly when I drive down the street I don't see cigarette butts on the side of the road, I see fast food bags, trash bags and beer bottles. So if everyone on here is out to point a finger, lets take care of the junk we can see first!!

My2centsworth
4:28 PM, 7/5/2009

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No Smoker uses their ashtray! Ever. I can not stand to see people throw their butts out the window. Its called LITTERING.

clean lungs
9:02 AM, 7/5/2009

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ou know your right every car built today and yesterday comes with an ashtray and you smokers always flick them out the window or empty your ashtray in the parking lot went its full maybe you should get up off your fat *** and put butts in there place .

fed up with butts
8:54 AM, 7/5/2009

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