Kitchen blaze, high wind fuel massive Smithville fire that engulfed strip mall
The fire that demolished a Smithville strip mall started in a local restaurant’s kitchen and spread rapidly due to strong winds Monday afternoon, the chief of the Smithville Fire Department said.
The fire, which caused a “total loss” for multiple businesses in Smithville Plaza near U.S. 169 and West Main Street, first broke out in the kitchen of West Lake Chinese Restaurant shortly before 2 p.m. Monday, Chief Dave Cline said. Flames were first spotted in a wok at the restaurant.
The fire department received its first call about the fire at 1:56 p.m. and units arrived at 2:02 p.m., Cline said. Upon arrival, fire crews began evacuating people who were still in some of the businesses.
A portion of the highway was closed in both directions while crews worked, but no other buildings or homes outside of the strip mall were evacuated, Cline said.
Once flames and smoke broke through the building, Cline said the strong winds caused the fire to spread quickly along the roof to other businesses in the strip mall. A door in the back of the building was also open, which “pushed that fire right through the building,” according to Cline.
“The winds obviously were a problem,” he said.
No one was injured, but a firefighter was struck by falling debris and cleared to continue working, according to Cline.
While Cline did not have an estimate on the total amount of damages, he guessed the loss of the structure alone was worth at least $2 million.
Smithville Plaza is home to five businesses, including La Fuente Mexican Restaurant, West Lake Chinese Restaurant, H&R Block, Lakeside Smoke and Pizza Shoppe.
In addition to the structure, the fire department had to put out several spot fires downwind that sparked in a dumpster and in nearby grass.
The last remaining unit left the scene Monday night just before 10 p.m.
This story was originally published March 31, 2026 at 11:53 AM.
