FIRE INVESTIGATORS COMPLETE INVESTIGATION INTO CAUSE OF THE PRIMETIME FIRE

The following information is from a media release that went out to local news outlets earlier today detailing the work that fire investigators completed to determine the cause of last week's fire at Primetime Sports Bar:

Fire investigators from Forest Grove Fire & Rescue and two Insurance Companies spent Monday (11.28.11) morning sifting through the remains of the Primetime Sports Bar in Forest Grove after the popular local hang out had been destroyed by a fire just before 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday November 23, 2011. By surveying the damage to the building and it's contents and considering witness and firefighter statements from the night of the fire, investigators were able to trace the area where the fire started back to a laundry and utility room that is located just off the kitchen in the south east corner of the restaurant. Fire investigators believe that it is possible that rags with traces of cooking oil that were stored in this area are a probable cause of the fire, and the Insurance Company Investigators have taken samples of the burned rag debris to be evaluated by a forensic science lab. At this time fire investigators are considering this fire accidental and have been able to rule out any act of foul play in the cause of this devastating fire.

Fire Investigators believe that the fire started in this area, a utility and laundry room near the prep room behind the kitchen.

Early estimates place the total loss of property and contents at well over 1.5 million dollars. The fire went to three alarms bringing in over 60 firefighters from all over Washington County on November 23, 2011. Crews remained on scene until mid afternoon on the day of the fire, extinguishing hot spots and salvaging items from the building for the owners. At one point heavy equipment from the Public Works Departments of the Cities of Forest Grove and Cornelius were called in to remove part of the collapsed dining room area so fire crews could safely get to the heavy burning area around the kitchen. One Forest Grove firefighter was injured during the fire, suffering exhaustion type injuries, he was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and released. At this point the Primetime Sports Bar is considered a total loss and the fire has displaced approximately 50 employees, a relief fund has been established at the Forest Grove Branch of the Columbia Community Bank for the restaurant's staff, as well as number of local fundraisers are in the works. Over the weekend the Forest Grove Firefighter's Association and the Cornelius Firefighter's Association, non profit groups made up of Volunteer and Union Firefighters to support community projects, pledged $1,000 from each association to support the relief fund as the holidays approach.