Red Deer County volunteer firefighters responded to a report of smoke coming from a restaurant set to open on Tuesday in Gasoline Alley.
The fire trucks headed out to Smitty’s Family Restaurant on Hwy 2’s west side at 2 p.m.
Fire Chief Tom Metzger said that everything was all clear a half hour later after firefighters checked out the new restaurant.
Staff reported a structure fire.
“There was a malfunction of a heating unit,” said Metzger.
The unit should be fixable, he added.
Metzger said there was some smoke inside the building, but he said there was no permanent damage.
This past spring, it was announced by company officials that the Smitty’s and adjacent Husky service station would undergo extensive renovations after being around since the late 1980s.
That renovation will result in the Smitty’s being modernized and gaining new fixtures and equipment. A lounge was also being added.
The service station and related convenience store moved to the north side of the property from their previous location to the southeast.