A fire broke out at a Noodles & Co. near the west side of Lake Calhoun Sunday, causing smoke damage at the restaurant and an adjacent Caribou Coffee outlet.
No one was injured in the fire, which started around 3 p.m. in a back area where garbage and boxes are collected, said Steven Ebert, a battalion chief with the Minneapolis Fire Department. The fire burned the roof over the refuse area, hitting 2-alarm status. It was extinguished in 20 to 30 minutes, Ebert said.
The fire's cause is being investigated. The refuse area was used as a smoking area for employees, Ebert said.
Both businesses, which are in a retail hub on the 3300 block of Excelsior Boulevard, were closed due to effects from the smoke. The Caribou outlet had minimal damage, Ebert said, "but the Noodles will probably be down for a while. They had smoke all over."
Mike Hughlett • 612-673-7003
