Carol McAlice Currie

Statesman Journal

The co-owner of Salem's India Palace has vowed to reopen, after flames and heavy smoke from a grease fire Wednesday damaged the nearly 25-year-old downtown restaurant.

At 10:14 a.m. the Salem Fire Department responded to the fire on Court Street NE. Flames and smoke were visible from the roof, so a second alarm was called.

The fire spread up the range hood and through the kitchen ventilation system to the roof, where it exited the building, investigators said.

"It'll be back," said Tony Singh, co-owner. "The good news is that it was controlled. I'm so glad it happened during the daytime, it could have been so much worse for our neighbors if it had happened at night."

Neighbors and employees who had just arrived to work discovered the fire, said Singh, who has co-owned the restaurant along with his sister-in-law Kuldip Kaur since his brother died. His cousin is the restaurant's chef, and a niece and other family members work there also. The restaurant suffered damage to the range hood, attic and roof, but Singh said he believes the dining room was spared.

Jeff Mack, deputy fire marshal for the city, confirmed that no neighboring apartments or businesses had to be evacuated during the fire.

Thirty firefighters and 12 Salem fire rigs responded to the fire, including aerial trucks used to tackle the fire on the roof.

Salem police and city crews closed Liberty Street NE from State Street to Chemeketa Street and Court Street NE from High Street to Commercial Street for about two hours.