Explosion rips apart a Cedar Rapids Burger King

Fire crews were called to a Burger King restaurant in Cedar Rapids for a fire and explosion Friday morning. Watch the fire video, sent to us by TV9 viewer Lindsay Dick. It broke out just after 5:30 a.m. at 3030 Mount Vernon Road SE. The Cedar Rapids Fire Department says crews were just outside the building when an explosion occurred inside the restaurant. One firefighter was knocked backward, but wasn't hurt. The explosion knocked down part of the back wall, shattered the dining room windows and damaging the front entrance. Portions of the ceiling and light fixtures collapsed in the northeast corner of the building, near the office, storage area and bathroom, and there is smoke damage throughout. It took crews about 40 minutes to get the fire under control. No one was hurt. Three employees were in the restaurant at the time, they escaped the fire uninjured. Fire investigators are working to figure out what the cause of the fire.

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