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Ybor Restaurant Worker Badly Burned By Stove Fire

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TBO.com

Published: November 20, 2008

A kitchen worker suffered first-degree burns to his face and arms Thursday night as he was cleaning the stove at a sushi restaurant, Tampa Fire Rescue officials said.

Salvador Diaz-Reyes, 30, was taken to Tampa General Hospital with injuries that do not appear to be life-threatening, authorities say.

This is what happened about 9:20 p.m. at Samurai Blue Sushi and Sake Bar at Centro Ybor, according to fire rescue officials:

Diaz-Reyes was pulling out a stove to clean behind it. He apparently pulled the stove out too far, damaging a natural gas line connected to the equipment. The gas leaked and a flash fire sparked, burning Diaz-Reyes and setting off the restaurant's sprinkler system.

Patrons and workers exited safely and fire crews shut the gas off. The switch to the sprinkler system was difficult for firefighters to find and water continued to flow from the second-floor restaurant to the Improv Comedy Theater on the first floor.

Fire damage to the building is minimal, but water damage is estimated at several thousand dollars.

Officials say it is not known how soon the businesses will be able to clean up and reopen.

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