Restaurant Fire Quickly Extinguished In Hamilton

Update: After Kitchen Fire, Hamilton’s Sakana Asian Cuisine Plans Reconstruction And Will Reopen When Completed

January 31, 2021, Updated to include hazardous material response by Hamilton and West Windsor

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–Around 7:30 am multiple 9-1-1 calls reported smoke coming from the roof in the 3100 Block of Quakerbridge Road from the Sakana Asian Cuisine Restaurant. Upon arrival of the Hamilton Township fire chief a full first alarm “all hands” fire was called sending additional Hamilton firefighters, and firefighters from Lawrence Township and Robbinsville Township Fire Departments to the scene. Fire crews pulled two 2 1/2 inch hand lines and advanced though the front door to a fire in the ceiling of the kitchen area in the rear of the store. Ladder companies laddered the building and worked on the roof. The fire crews inside pulled down the ceiling and extinguished the fire. A five inch supply line was laid out to Quakerbridge road to the fire hydrant temporarily closing the roadway until the fire was out. A roadblock was set up by the Hamilton Township Police Department and Hamilton Fire Police set up a detour in the area. The fire was under control by 8:00 am. Firefighters were able to hold the fire to the kitchen area at the rear of the restaurant and kept the fire from spreading to the roof and attached stores in the strip mall.

PSE&G, Hamilton Township Building Department, Hamilton Township Health Department also responded to the scene. The fire is under investigation by the Hamilton Township Fire Marshal.

Hazardous materials teams from Hamilton and West Windsor Township responded to the scene after the fire was out to mitigate chemicals that were undergoing a hazardous chemical reaction. Hamilton and West Windsor Hazmat teams mitigated the hazard and contained the chemical without incident.