The Tomball Fire Department (TFD) is still investigating what caused a 3-alarm fire to break out at Los Piños Mexican Restaurant around 2:40 a.m. on Oct. 13.

TFD received a call from a Tomball Police Officer on patrol who reported smoke and flames coming from the building early Thursday morning.

TFD responded to the scene and began battling the blaze. TFD Assistant Chief Jon Fontenot said firefighters could tell the source of the fire was the roof and ceiling.

“Fire was visible from the roof area and heavy smoke conditions indicated a well involved attic space above the restaurant,” TFD stated.

The restaurant is connected to other businesses in a strip mall. Fontenot said firefighters called a third alarm in order to get more personnel and apparatus on hand in order to contain the fire and stop the flames from spreading to other businesses.

Fontenot said since firefighters knew where the main source of the flames were they were, able to direct all main streams to that area of the building to stop the blaze and prevent it from spreading further down the strip.

Firefighters were able to stop the blaze in just over an hour.

The main entrance and lobby of the restaurant received the most damage. Portions of the roof were lost in the blaze while other portions caved into the restaurant.

From the outside, the welcome sign that was seen above the entrance is missing letters, has scorched areas and areas of the wooded roof are completely gone.

Fontenot said Los Piños is not a complete loss having only roof, ceiling and loft damage. However, the restaurant is filled with ceiling debris and water.

Several restaurant employees were already beginning to clean up the ceiling rubble and water the same morning.

One employee, Juan Amador, said Los Piños has been in Tomball for 18 years. He said the restaurant plans to rebuild and open for business again.

The electricity and gas have been turned off to the building and  will be restored to the property as soon as possible, according to TFD.

The preliminary finding of the Fire Marshal is that the cause of the fire appears to be accidental and electrical in nature. The investigation will continue.

Photo by Cheryl Smith

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