On Monday, March 3 at 8:06 a.m., a 9-1-1 call was received reporting smoke filling the Maison Alyzee restaurant at 212 Castro Street. One employee self-evacuated before fire crews arrived on the scene.

City of Mountain View Fire Department units were dispatched at 8:06 a.m. and the first engine company arrived on the scene at 8:12 a.m. The first engine on the scene arrived to find a sprinkler head actively flowing water and smoke coming from a restaurant in a single-story commercial building. Firefighters stopped the flow of water from the sprinkler head and removed the charred remains of chairs and debris from the building.

Fire crews used salvage operations techniques to remove water and smoke from the affected space. Firefighters performed an extensive overhaul of the unit to ensure complete extinguishment of the flames.

The damage is estimated to be $100,000. The restaurant has smoke damage throughout, with the heaviest smoke damage in the rear kitchen area. The cause of the fire is possibly a lithium-ion battery used to charge yard equipment. The battery was unattended, charging in the affected room of the building. The fire also caused a CO2 cylinder, also stored in that room, to explode. Firefighters replaced the sprinkler head and recharged the sprinkler system before departing the scene.

As this restaurant is a facility containing food and perishables, the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health was notified and working with the restaurant’s management to complete the process to recertify and reopen the facility. The facility will remain closed until cleared by the County Department of Environmental Health.

Media Contact
Robert Maitland, Fire Department PIO
650-903-6825 or robert.maitland@mountainview.gov