A small fire at Prison Brews Saturday morning likely will mean the restaurant will be out of the wood-fired pizza business for a few days, but it didn't cause any significant damage to the structure.
Assistant Chief Bill Barbour said the Jefferson City Fire Department responded to a call at 11:06 a.m. Saturday. Upon arriving at the scene, firefighters discovered smoke and fire emanating from the pizza oven's vent.
Firefighter crews used portable extinguishers to put out the fire and to exam the roof for damage.
"The fire was confined to the flu," Barbour said. "And there is no smoke damage inside the building."
Standing in front of the structure, he noted he was waiting for health inspectors to arrive so the building could be examined and re-opened.
About 15 restaurant staff were working Saturday morning and about 13 customers were inside the building at the time the fire broke out, Taylor Heckemeyer, a server, estimated.
Barbour credited the restaurant's management for doing a good job in escorting people away from the building safely.
Heckemeyer said staff noticed the problem when ashes were drifting from the hood to the oven. Staff also noticed clouds of smoke pouring from the roof outdoors.
"Smoke was rolling, so we called the fire department," she said.
No one was injured in the blaze.