Monday, February 21st 2022, 9:57 pm
A harrowing scene Monday afternoon along I-40 as a grass fire consumed ten cars in a Chick-Fil-A parking lot. The inferno also sent three people to the hospital.
Workers nearby told News 9 the smoke was so bad they thought their building was burning.
“We all walked outside and just saw all the cars on fire,” said Cody Wilson, who works at Aspen Dental and witnessed the fire.
“The Chick-Fil-A is engulfed in thick smoke,” said Jim Gardner in Bob Mills Sky News 9 from above the scene.
Witnesses from surrounding businesses said they ran outside and saw a line of cars on fire.
“One by one so every five minutes or so when it was going on you could hear a big boom…hearing the tires and the hissing of the fire that was really the biggest thing that we heard,” said Wilson.
“I was working drive-thru and I smelt smoke and then I looked Infront of me out the window and there was a fire,” said Gabby Hanks, who works at Panera Bread next door.
“We’re not exactly sure what started it but with this enormous Southwind we have today it didn’t take long for this fire to grow into the chick fil a parking lot,” said Captain Scott Douglas, with the Oklahoma City Fire Department.
He said wind and dry conditions are to blame for the rapid spread of the fire that broke out just before 1 p.m.
“I just got everybody’s car and moved them to the front. I know the wind was blowing this way, so I didn’t want anything to cause any issues with our cars and just start a trickle effect,” said Wilson.
“I just remember seeing my car out there and I needed to move my car out of the way because there is a lot of smoke and you call tell the grass is burning,” said Paola Deleon, who also works at Panera Bread and witnessed the fire.
An employee at Twin Peaks also captured it all on video across the parking lot.
“Once the fire occurred, we had a prompt evacuation of not only the employees but the customers,” said Douglas.
OKCFD treated 13 employees for smoke inhalation, three of them were taken to a local hospital.
“Everybody was concerned, we saw it all from the front. You couldn’t even see the Chick-Fil-A from the back door with all of the smoke,” said Wilson.
While Chick-Fil-A did close, workers said they were able to clean out the smell of smoke and keep their doors open.
February 21st, 2022
December 29th, 2024
September 13th, 2024
September 1st, 2024
February 20th, 2025
February 20th, 2025
February 20th, 2025
February 20th, 2025