Shaw's Restaurant, a popular Santa Maria eatery, is expected to be closed for at least a couple days after a fire Wednesday evening in the ventilation system led to considerable smoke and water damage.

The blaze broke out in the South Broadway restaurant's kitchen about 5:15 p.m., shortly after the local hot spot opened for dinner, officials said.

The first round of staff had just arrived, and there were only a few customers having drinks in the adjacent taproom when workers became aware of the fire, employees said.

Santa Maria city firefighters, assisted by personnel from Santa Barbara County, quickly knocked down the flames, which witnesses said could be seen coming out through the roof vents.

“They were shooting out pretty high, I'd say about five feet,” said Charles Finiak, who spotted the fire from across the street and called 9-1-1.

The fire, which was termed accidental, started when heat from a barbecue pit ignited accumulated cooking grease residue in the kitchen ventilation hood and duct work, said city fire Battalion Chief Jack Owen Jr.

He added that fire sprinklers kept the blaze in check until firefighters arrived.

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The blaze was contained to the ducts, but the restaurant sustained moderate smoke damage and there was minor smoke damage in the taproom. The restaurant and kitchen also sustained water damage from the sprinkler system and firefighter response.

Preliminary damage estimates were $100,000 for the building and $35,000 to its contents, Owen said.

“We're in here cleaning things up right now,” cook Benny Vasquez said Wednesday night.

“It's mostly a lot of water damage from the sprinklers.”

Workers hoped to have the restaurant reopened by the weekend and in time for Mother's Day Sunday, Vasquez added.

Wednesday's fire rekindled memories of a major blaze at Shaw's in April 1999 that gutted the restaurant, caused about $1 million in damages, and closed the eatery for several months. That fire spread to a furniture store next-door, prompting a civil lawsuit in 2002.

The 1999 fire started after a restaurant curtain was set ablaze by a lit table candle.

Shaw's is part of a group of local restaurants owned by the Guggia family. Vasquez said owner Milt Guggia was too busy Wednesday night to talk.

Mark Baylis can be reached at 739-2218 or mbaylis@santamariatimes.com

May 12, 2006