Fire Damages Rockville KFC/Taco Bell

A food warmer is the likely cause of a fire that caused an estimated $20,000 in damages to a KFC/Taco Bell on Key West Avenue in Rockville early Saturday, a Montgomery County fire and rescue spokesman said.

Fire units were dispatched to the restaurant and forced their way inside at about 1:15 a.m. after the kitchen fire triggered an alarm system, said Capt. Oscar Garcia, a county fire and rescue spokesman.

The restaurant lost power during Friday's high winds and the food warmer likely malfunctioned after power was restored, Garcia said.

The fire "was pretty much contained to the food warmer and nothing else around it [caught fire]," Garcia said.

No one answered a call to the restaurant at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

"Whenever you lose power we recommend disconnecting appliances, especially if they have a heating element," Garcia said.

For fire safety tips see the fire and rescue service's Web site.