Popular family spot closed for several hours Saturday

Electrical problems most likely culprit

By Anne Lautzenheiser
St. Tammany News
Published on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 12:24 AM CDT

Print this story | Email this story | Post A Comment |

Slidell-area families hoping to get a head start on Mothers Day were disappointed when an apparent electrical problem shut down Chuck E. Cheese on Northshore Boulevard for several hours Saturday afternoon.

Members of St. Tammany Fire District 1 were notified when a fire alarm went off just after 3 p.m. When they arrived, there was light smoke at the back of the building so personnel established a water supply and hooked up to the restaurant sprinkler system.

It was soon determined, however, the problem was due to a short in an outside electrical panel.

“There was no fire, just hot wires and smoldering equipment,” said FD1 Chief of Fire Prevention Neil Ricca. “We used a thermal imaging camera to make sure there weren’t any hot spots.”

Ricca said the device is often used after structure fires are extinguished, to make sure there are no hidden areas that could flare up.

Approximately 100 customers and employees were in the restaurant at the time, and management had evacuated them safely by the time the firefighters arrived. The problem was reportedly traced to a piece of utility equipment not owned by the restaurant. Utilities were shut off until technicians could make the necessary repairs. The restaurant had reopened by Sunday morning.

Twenty-five members of FD1 were involved, and no injuries were reported.

Print this story | Email this story | Post A Comment |

Comments

No comments posted.

WRITE A COMMENT

Use the form below to post a brief comment to this story, or respond to other readers. Please use the word count tool to assist you in keeping your remarks to 100 words or fewer.

Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All readers comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. They review submitted comments periodically during the day for offensive or off-topic content before posting. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. The St. Tammany News is not liable for messages from third parties.

DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.
* Personal Information (phone numbers, addresses, etc.)

Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in thesttammanynews.com's reader comments represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of the St. Tammany News. The St. Tammany News does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than authorized St. Tammany News spokespersons.

Your thoughtful contribution to the online discussion is appreciated.