Coach Grill Fire Damage Estimate Tops $50,000

Wayland's could remain closed for some time as several pieces of kitchen equipment are replaced after a fire in the ventilation system Monday night.

A Wayland Fire Department press release said that firefighters responded to a call from the restaurant at about 8:25 p.m. Monday, after restaurant staff pulled the alarm and began trying to evacuate guests from the dining rooms.

Firefighters arrived to find several guests still at their tables and worked with Wayland Police to convince the patrons to evacuate. The fire itself remained confined to the kitchen and ventilation system.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, the press release reads, but it was accidental in nature and likely occurred when grease or cooking residue ignited in the ventilation system.

In a , Wayland Patch reader Melisa said in a comment that she was dining at the restaurant when the fire occurred. She said the restaurant became "smoky" [sic] but "the staff was awesome and no one was ever in danger."

According to the press release, fire damage affected the cooking unit, the ceiling above the unit, the kitchen vent system and the area between the ceiling and the roof. The kitchen sustained water damage, and smoke damage was more widespread in the restaurant.

"A dollar damage estimate will be especially difficult to determine because of the specialized restaurant equipment involved, but at this point it is safe to say that the damage will exceed $50,000," the press release reads, pointing out that the estimate seems high, but the assessed value of the building exceeds  $665,000. "Major pieces of restaurant equipment will need to be replaced, so the business may need to be closed for a significant period of time."

While responding to the call, a Wayland firefighter slipped on the kitchen floor and sustained a minor injury. He was transported to Metrowest Medical Center in Framingham, where he was treated and released.

Off-duty Wayland firefighters and the Weston Fire Department assisted in the response.

The Board of Health and Building Department responded to the scene and determined there to be little or no structural damage, though all food exposed to smoke will need to be discarded.

"The Wayland and Weston firefighters under the command of Wayland Deputy Fire Chief David Houghton can be credited with saving the building due to an aggressive (but safe) interior attack which followed a delayed, but orderly evacuation," the press release reads.

The press release also points out that another restaurant, The Red Coach Grill, that once stood on the same property burned almost completely on Jan. 24, 1976.