Popular Student Hangout Temporarily Closed from Fire

Flames broke out at the Hong Kong restaurant on the evening of June 18, damaging the Mass Ave. establishment and forcing it to close for several days.

The Cambridge Fire Department (CFD) arrived at the popular student night hangout at 10:36 p.m. and were able to extinguish the fire before flames could engulf the building.

According to Brian Higgins, a lieutenant in CFD’s fire investigation unit, the fire started in the Chinese restaurant basement kitchen.

“The fire appeared to originate in the exhaust flue of the stand-up broiler unit as a result of excessive grease build-up,” Higgins said. “The fire extended out of the duct work at the chimney connection and into the wood framing members in the basement, and into the walls.”

Classified as a “working fire” by CFD, four engine companies, three ladder companies, two rescue companies and two division commanders responded to the incident. Though firefighters remained on scene until 12:11 a.m., the fire was controlled quickly, Higgins said.

Hong Kong manager Paul Lee says he is thankful that the situation didn’t worsen.

“We caught it right away, got everyone out of the building and called the fire department,” he said.

While Lee classified the losses as “minimal,” Higgins estimated the flames caused approximately $25,000 worth of damage to the building and its cooking appliances.

The fire left the Hong Kong closed all of last week for renovations.

“We’ve had to revamp some of the equipment to bring it in line with current building codes,” Lee said.

According to Lee, the Hong Kong reopened last Sunday—in time to feed hungry summer school students who arrived in Cambridge over the weekend.

—ANDREW M. SADOWSKI