The Red Steer Restaurant in Turlock was reported to be on fire at around 3:20am on Thursday by a passerby. Four Turlock City Fire engines and 15 firefighters worked to contain the blaze. The fire was reportedly under control after about two hours but firefighters were still shooting water from the ladder truck after 7:00am.
The fire has been reported to have caused an initial estimated $1 million of damage.
The fire gutted the Red Steer, located at 203 S. Golden State Boulevard, as the Fire Department worked to contain the fire when the roof was found to be unstable.
The parking lot entrance shared by the rest of the Scandinavian Village, Wellington Station, and the Turlock Chamber of Commerce was flooded by the firefighter dispensed water.
Turlock Police Detectives were on scene as part of a standard partnership between the Fire and Police Departments.
No known cause has been reported yet.
If anyone has any information regarding this fire, please contact the Fire Marshall at 668-5580.
Scott Soiseth and his son-in-law Tracy Smith own the Red Steer Restaurant. Soiseth bought the restaurant in 1984, the same restaurant he worked as a busboy when he was 16 years old. The restaurant was originally opened in 1968.
The owners reportedly have intentions to get the popular Turlock eatery back open. Soiseth and Smith have been working on opening a downtown Modesto location and will focus on that project so their Turlock employees can get back to work as soon as possible.
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