Fire Destroys McDonald's And Preliminary Cause

Fire Destroys Longtime McDonald’s on South Jefferson in Lebanon

A McDonald’s that had been part of Lebanon for more than 50 years was destroyed by fire Saturday afternoon after flames spread through the ceiling and roof of the South Jefferson restaurant.

The Lebanon Fire Department was dispatched at approximately 4:06 p.m. following reports of smoke at the restaurant.

Deputy Fire Chief Andy Woody told Lebanon Now that crews arrived within five minutes of receiving the call.

“We responded shortly after 4 p.m. to a call for smoke, a haze of smoke inside McDonald’s on South Jefferson,” Woody said. “Fire crews arrived within five minutes of receiving the call, and at that time reported smoke showing from the vents, also on the roof of the building.”

Firefighters initially entered the restaurant and began attacking the fire from inside.

“We made an aggressive interior attack on the fire,” Woody said. “As the smoke continued to build and increase in velocity from the roof, crews pulled ceiling, discovered heavy fire in the ceiling area.”

With conditions deteriorating above firefighters, the decision was made to get crews out.

“We pulled fire crews from the building and began a defensive fire attack at that time,” Woody said.

Employees and customers had evacuated the restaurant safely.

Building Considered a Total Loss

Woody confirmed Saturday that the building is considered a total loss.

The State Fire Marshal investigated the fire, but an exact cause may never be determined.

“It’s going to probably label the fire undetermined,” Woody said.

Investigators did narrow the fire to two possible accidental causes, according to Woody. One possibility is an HVAC unit. The other is the grease vent above the restaurant’s hood system.

Woody said fires involving that area of a restaurant can develop above the roof without immediately being noticed by those inside.

“A fire burns in that grease area above the roof, sometimes undetected, and can be a very significant fire for a long time,” Woody said. “By the time someone recognizes that there’s a fire, it’s already been on fire for a while.”

That possibility also creates a significant danger for firefighters working inside.

“Those roofs are prone to collapse,” Woody said. “Knowing that ourselves, we have a very short time frame that we spend inside these buildings.”

Saturday, that concern became a reality almost immediately after firefighters exited.

“Shortly after our crew evacuated the building, the HVAC unit fell through the roof,” Woody said.

No injuries were reported.

More Than 50 Years on South Jefferson

The South Jefferson McDonald’s dates back to the 1970's.

The restaurant was known for features that made the older location distinctive, including an indoor PlayPlace and hand-painted Route 66 murals celebrating Lebanon’s connection to the Mother Road.

Pic from Trip Advisor For generations of local families, the restaurant was a familiar stop along South Jefferson. Some remember visiting the PlayPlace as children, while others worked at the restaurant or later returned with their own children and grandchildren.

The Route 66 murals also became a recognizable part of the restaurant and were photographed and mentioned over the years by travelers stopping in Lebanon.

Saturday’s fire brought an abrupt end to a building that had remained part of the South Jefferson landscape for half a century.

More Than 100 Gather to Watch the Fire

As firefighters worked at the restaurant, a large crowd began gathering directly across South Jefferson Avenue.

Lebanon Now observed more than 50 vehicles and an estimated 100 people in the AutoZone parking lot watching the fire.

People stood alongside their vehicles and gathered in groups throughout the parking lot, creating an almost tailgate-like atmosphere as smoke rose from the restaurant and firefighters worked across the street.

By Saturday evening, the longtime South Jefferson McDonald’s was considered a total loss.

Everyone made it out safely, but the fire destroyed a building that had served Lebanon for more than 47 years and had become a familiar part of the community for generations.