CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) — The Applebee’s at Garden City in Cranston was determined to be a total loss after a fire ripped through it early Tuesday morning.

Crews responding to the scene around 5:30 a.m. found heavy flames and large plumes of smoke coming from the roof.

“Applebee’s closed around 1 o’clock, so it appears to be a grease fire and it got quite a jump on us during the night in the ceiling area,” Cranston Fire Chief Robert Ryan said.

Story continues below video.

People who live nearby said the fire alarms in their homes were going off due to all of the smoke.

“[The smoke] was choking, actually, I had my car window open and I had to shut it because it was so strong,” Linda Cantone recalled.

“I’ve never seen so many fire trucks in my life,” Father Anthony Verdelotti from St. Mark Church told 12 News. “The smoke was unbelievable.”

Some of the flames spread to the restaurant next to Applebee’s, but firefighters were able to stop them from spreading any further.

No injuries were reported and crews cleared out around 10:30 a.m.

“Our fire department did a fantastic job in knocking it down and saving the other buildings that were attached to it,” Mayor Ken Hopkins said.

The rest of the shopping center is still open.

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Breaking News

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com.