A two-alarm fire caused several stores at Albemarle Square Shopping Center to shut down Friday.
Around 1:30 p.m., firefighters were called to the Taste of China restaurant. The chief deputy says it started in the kitchen of the restaurant, in the hood of the stove. The flames forced several stores near the restaurant, including H&R Block, to evacuate while firefighters put out the blaze.
"My understanding is the fire extended in the hood system up through that flue out to where the roof is so we've had to open up a little of the roof area as well as we're having to pull that hood system out to make sure we get in behind it," said David Puckett, Albemarle County Fire Department deputy chief of operations.
Six fire departments worked to get the fire under control, but the damage has been estimated at $15,000.
