Fitchburg Fire Chief Helps Extinguish Restaurant Fire in Luquillo While on Honeymoon
Dante Suarez, on paid administrative leave from his Massachusetts post, used kitchen fire extinguishers to contain a blaze in a Luquillo restaurant before local firefighters arrived.
File photoThe short version
- Sentinel and Enterprise reported that Fitchburg Fire Chief Dante Suarez was having lunch in Luquillo when a kitchen fire broke out in a nearby restaurant
- According to the report Suarez confirmed everyone was out then used common fire extinguishers with restaurant staff to contain the flames since there was no sprinkler system
- AOL.com reported Suarez said it took seven or eight extinguishers and about 20 minutes to fully extinguish and cool the fire preventing spread to vents or other buildings
- The Sentinel and Enterprise said local firefighters arrived about 30 minutes after the incident began and Suarez was on a belated honeymoon
Off-Duty Response in Puerto Rico
Fitchburg Fire Chief Dante Suarez helped put out a kitchen fire in a Luquillo restaurant while on a belated honeymoon in Puerto Rico earlier this month. Sentinel and Enterprise reported that Suarez was having lunch in the beachside community when he noticed smoke and commotion at a neighboring establishment.
Suarez confirmed that all patrons and staff had safely left the building. With no sprinkler system present he directed employees to gather fire extinguishers from adjoining restaurants. Together they used the extinguishers to attack the fire. AOL.com reported that the smoke grew thicker and the heat intensified as Suarez worked in and out of the kitchen.
Also on PuertoRico.com: Luquillo travel guide
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
I was in a position to help and at the end of the day that’s what firefighters do.
The source's own statement, as quoted by Sentinel and Enterprise. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Containment and Aftermath
Both outlets reported that the effort required seven or eight extinguishers. The Sentinel and Enterprise quoted Suarez saying it took "maybe 20 minutes or so to extinguish the flames and cool it to the point where there were no flareups." Local firefighters arrived roughly 30 minutes after the fire started and assumed control. The restaurant owner told Suarez he planned to reopen after replacing kitchen equipment.
Suarez has been on paid administrative leave from the Fitchburg Fire Department since March. He told reporters he was grateful no one was injured and that damage was minimized. He described the response as a collective effort with restaurant staff.
Where the sources differ
The Sentinel and Enterprise and AOL.com agree on the location in Luquillo the absence of a sprinkler system the use of seven or eight fire extinguishers the approximate 20-minute containment by Suarez and staff and the later arrival of local firefighters. The Sentinel and Enterprise states the chief is on paid administrative leave since March and quotes him describing a 20-minute effort while AOL.com mentions 30 to 40 minutes until firefighters arrived and includes additional quotes about the smoke and heat but does not mention his leave status.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not name the restaurant involved provide the exact date of the incident in October or state whether an official investigation or report was filed by Puerto Rico authorities. They also do not indicate the cause of the kitchen fire the extent of damage in dollars or the current employment status outcome of the external investigation into Suarez in Massachusetts.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting On leave Fitchburg fire chief puts out blaze in Puerto Rico
- Reporting Massachusetts Fire Chief Steps in to Help Battle Restaurant Blaze While on His Honeymoon in Puerto Rico
How we checked this
The Sentinel and Enterprise and AOL.com both covered the off-duty actions of Dante Suarez in Puerto Rico. Details of the collective effort with restaurant staff the number of extinguishers used and Suarez's quoted comments rest on his own account as relayed in the two outlets.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.