Flames topped the roof of a family-owned restaurant Saturday in West Valley.
Mercedes & Family, at the corner of South 56th Avenue and Tieton Drive, caught fire about noon. Fire officials believe the fire started in the kitchen, said Yakima Fire shift commander Jennifer Norton. Customers and workers evacuated the restaurant as well as Joy Garden, a Korean restaurant in the neighboring building, Norton said.
About 40 firefighters responded from Yakima, West Valley, East Valley and the Yakima Training Center. Yakima police were on scene, asThe westbound lanes of Tieton Drive were intermittently closed until about 1 p.m.
It was unknown Saturday how much damage the fire caused to Mercedes & Family. Joy Garden received minimal damage but did have its power cut, Norton said. sisting with traffic control.