BOYSBURG — A popular eatery in the heart of Boksburg was left gutted after a kitchen fire on 1 September that began in a commercial deep fryer, leaving staff temporarily without work and prompting questions about the municipal emergency response.
How the blaze began
Grills & More Roadhouse & Pizzeria on Leeupoort Street in the Boksburg CBD caught fire after heated cooking oil in a commercial fryer reportedly ignited. Restaurant manager Alain Kaparay pointed to the damaged section of the kitchen and said the fryer held about 25 litres of cooking oil when the blaze started.
Staff and customers were evacuated safely. Kaparay said an initial attempt to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher failed. A neighbour’s extinguisher was used next, but the flames reached the ceiling and rapidly spread through the premises before professional firefighters could fully control the incident.
Hazardous materials and firefighting
Firefighters had to remove around 12 LPG cylinders stored at the back of the premises; some of those cylinders were reported to contain 48kg of gas. The combination of heated oil and stored liquefied petroleum gas increased the risk and complicated suppression efforts.
- Location: Leeupoort Street, Boksburg CBD
- Cause (reported): Heated cooking oil in a commercial deep fryer
- Cooking oil volume: Approximately 25 litres
- LPG cylinders: About 12, some of 48kg
- Outcome: Extensive interior damage; business gutted; staff temporarily out of work
“I then got a second one from our neighbour across the road and started to fight the fire, but it was too late, as the fire eventually reached the ceiling and rapidly spread through the premises,” Kaparay said.
Response and concerns about municipal readiness
Local volunteer group Boksburg 911, which helps escalate emergency information to responders, praised private responders — including ADT — for their assistance but criticised the City of Ekurhuleni’s response time. Bobby Marilli of Boksburg 911 said the incident was reported just before 09:00 and municipal firefighters only arrived at about 09:20, despite a fire station said to be “virtually two minutes away” from the scene.
Marilli also claimed two municipal fire trucks had to be dispatched from outside Boksburg because Boksburg Central did not have an operational fire engine at the time. He warned that without private help the community could be at risk in similar emergencies.
Local impact and next steps
The restaurant suffered extensive interior damage and has been described as destroyed in the immediate aftermath. Several employees have been left temporarily without work while the business assesses the damage and next steps. There was no report of injuries among staff or customers.
| Item | Reported detail |
|---|---|
| Cooking oil | Approximately 25 litres in fryer |
| LPG cylinders | About 12; some of 48kg capacity |
| Municipal arrival | Reportedly about 09:20 after a call just before 09:00 |
For residents and business owners in the CBD, the incident highlights the importance of basic fire-safety measures in commercial kitchens — correct storage of LPG cylinders, functioning extinguishers, staff training and clear evacuation plans. It also raises questions about municipal fire-service capacity in central Boksburg, which civic groups will likely press the City of Ekurhuleni to answer.
Municipal officials and the restaurant’s owners were approached for further comment in the original reporting; this article reports verified details and statements attributed in those accounts.
As the business evaluates whether repairs or a rebuild are possible, staff and the community await clarity on the timeline for recovery and any support that may become available for affected employees.
