New Lenox restaurant to rebuild after fire

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Updated: March 1, 2012 9:46AM

Los Angeles Cafe in New Lenox plans to rebuild after a Saturday morning fire destroyed the Mexican restaurant in the 200 block of East Lincoln Highway, owner Marc Angel said Monday.

“L.A. Cafe is coming back. That’s for sure,” he said. Angel does not know how long it will take to rebuild but said he is looking for a temporary location.

The restaurant has been in New Lenox for 21 years and employed between 12 and 15 people, he said.

A cook who was the only one in the restaurant at the time called firefighters at 6:12 a.m., New Lenox Fire Protection District Chief Jon Mead said. A grease fire started in the kitchen of the building — which is across the street from the fire station — but Mead said they have not determined what ignited the grease.

It was about an hour before opening and Angel said he was getting ready for work when he got the call.

Construction of the building hindered firefighters’ efforts to extinguish the blaze, Mead said. The building used to have apartments above it, but the area was being used as storage. Fire crews had to go through the roof and ceilings to get to the fire, Mead said. The block wall prevented the fire from spreading to adjacent businesses. No injuries were reported.

New Lenox firefighters were assisted by surrounding departments as they battled the blaze for about 11/2 hours, Mead said.

A bright blue tarp now covers the roof, and the restaurant’s front windows are boarded up.

L.A. Cafe also has restaurants at 19450 S. LaGrange Road in Mokena and 22325 Governors Highway in Richton Park.