Granger Burger King may receive fine for health violation

Tribune Staff Report

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By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Mar 3, 2008 at 11:52 AM EST

Story Updated: Mar 3, 2008 at 11:53 AM EST

GRANGER — A local Burger King may receive a fine after failing to close after a fire caused some employees to be sick.

A St. Joseph County Health Department health officers hearing was held Monday morning for Burger King, 12757 Indiana 23 in Granger.

The meeting was held primarily to discuss why a freezer fire at the restaurant Feb. 16 was not immediately reported to the fire department and why the facility did not close following the blaze.

Health department officials received two anonymous complaints Feb. 17 about the fire and later discovered a freezer filled with smoke and a lack of proper ventilation in the restaurant.

Owner Jerry Fitzpatrick called the situation a "mistake" during the hearing and pointed to a lack of communication between his employees.

Read more about this story in Tuesday’s South Bend Tribune.

Friday, Apr 18 at 2:46 AM Nihl wrote ...

Quote: "I went to burger king once during the day, and there was a employee, talking on his cell phone in the kitchen, with his gloves on, and then made food for drive through!! i will not be dining there when he is working, i think they call him moss?" - You should had better just forget anything about that. More things go on with gloves on that most people could EVER realize, or WANT to know about. Seriously. (ex bk)

Tuesday, Mar 18 at 1:24 AM E Eastman wrote ...

This is just WRONG !! As usual I went in to the BK this weekend and the nice young man was not there! I asked why? is he ill? I was told no he doesn't work here anymore. He was let go because he couldn't change shifts( he hired in as a closer with that understanding.) They changed his shift to opening. Also they refused to replace his coat that got burned in the freezer.( someone as a joke placed his coat in there)NOT RIGHT

Thursday, Mar 13 at 10:03 PM Ex employee wrote ...

So, they decided to fire me because i wasnt avalable to work, eventhough it was on my appication when they hired me.

Wednesday, Mar 12 at 9:29 PM Anonymous wrote ...

What a horable person, and what a shame on the upper management parts. If the parents would of found out, he would of lost hos job and might of went to jail.

Tuesday, Mar 11 at 9:55 AM someone wrote ...

doesnt suprise me any the store manager of that location used to show up for his shift drunk and used to get drunk with the underage employees.....and higher up management was imformed and nothing happened.....

Tuesday, Mar 11 at 9:35 AM ex-bk manager. wrote ...

i worked for bk for almost 5 years. there were many many times where they cared more about making money than keeping things safe and clean for the employees and customers. The worst was during a lunch shift when the district manager decided to spray bug killer throughout the store....i was pregnant and so was another employee. the fumes were making us feel sick and we were told to keep working. the fumes could have been really bad for our babies. luckily she turned out to be very healthy.

Tuesday, Mar 11 at 9:23 AM That one guy wrote ...

yah, not only do they try to pull stuff with the other employees, they store manager likes to schedule people when they are not avalable. Just to try to make them quit. Not going to happen.

Tuesday, Mar 11 at 3:57 AM Mj wrote ...

Dang, sounds like bad management skills at that Bk. Why do the employees put up with that?

Monday, Mar 10 at 8:01 PM Lieing Fitz wrote ...

It wasnt a mistake, the manager at the time of the fire was told NOT to call the fire dept. The district, and store managers both told him not to, or he will be fired. Both the store and district managers knew if the fire department was called they would have to close the store early. And then they wouldent be able to make their $$ for the day. Good thing someone called sunday to have the place closed before the employees suffered any longer.

Saturday, Mar 8 at 6:56 PM PARENT PART 2 wrote ...

THIS IS THE WRONG KIND OF MANAGEMENT TO WORK UNDER. THEY DON'T CARE AT ALL ABOUT THEIR EMPLOYEES. MY DAUGHTER WORKS HARD TO KEEP THE BK CLEAN AT NIGHT AND WEEKENDS. THE MORE SHE DOES THE MORE THEY WANT HER TO DO AND TALKS BAD ABOUT HER. LETS GET SOME MANAGERS IN THERE THAT CARE.

Saturday, Mar 8 at 6:52 PM PARENT OF WORKER wrote ...

my daughter called me and told me what was going on and she and another employee was very sick and vomiting and and very bad headaches and they would not let them go home. I knew what they had and I called the fire department. If the STORE MANAGERS DON'T CARE ABOUT THEIR EMPLOYEES, I DO. THEY WAS LOOKING WHO CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY WAS GOING TO FIRE THEM. THEY SHOULD HAVE CARL, FITZPATRICK, CJ, JAY AND TYRON ALL REPLACED. IF THIS IS THE MANAGEMENT

Saturday, Mar 8 at 3:37 AM concerned wrote ...

It is sad that bank breaks are more important to the regional and district managers then the health and lives of the people whom waited for district and regional managers to show up before seeking treatment. the only thing any of the higher ups was worried about was covering their poop shooter.

Friday, Mar 7 at 2:54 PM The one. wrote ...

sorry about the multiple posts, the interent was being werid that night.

Friday, Mar 7 at 4:08 AM Overworked & underpaid pt4 wrote ...

BK will not admit my jacket was in the freezer, all I heard the people say is “we do not know where your jacket is, and the ashes in the freezer were from the foam installation around the pipes in the freezer” Foam melts, it does not leave ashes.

Friday, Mar 7 at 4:06 AM Overworked & underpaid pt3 wrote ...

All they told him to do was shut the power off to the freezer, and then open the access door and the back door and vent out the freezer. After we did that, and most of the smoke was gone, I looked and saw burned remains of something, at first I did not know what it was. At this point we cannot stand to be in the freezer, so we scatter to find clean air. I wanted to go outside, so I walk to the table where I left it, and its not there, that is when I realize what had burned.

Friday, Mar 7 at 4:05 AM Overworked & Underpaid pt2 wrote ...

The other employee that was there was walking by the cooler, and said to me “do you smell something burning”, so we began to look for the source. I opened the freezer, smoke came out, and I said F%$# it, then the other employee ran to get the shift manager. When he came back by the freezer and I told him. (I didn’t know my jacket was burned until we vented the freezer that night.) The shift manager called the store manager, and then called the district manager.

Friday, Mar 7 at 4:03 AM Overworked & underpaid pt1 wrote ...

It’s a shame that Bk didn’t tell the whole story of what happened. Yes, there was a fire, no it wasn’t an accident or hardware malfunction. All I can say is I came into work on that Saturday with a Jacket, but when I left I didn’t have it with me, I drove home coughing and shivering in the cold. I guess someone thought it would be funny –cough store manager, cough- to shove my jacket behind the cooling unit in the freezer. Then sometime before 9:30 pm it caught on fire.

Friday, Mar 7 at 4:01 AM Confused wrote ...

I dont know what everyone is talking about, after i get out of work at about 6pm, i go to that burgerking, it is always clean. You people must be going and eating there before the night shift get there and bust their buts to clean up after the day people. I went to burger king once during the day, and there was a employee, talking on his cell phone in the kitchen, with his gloves on, and then made food for drive through!! i will not be dining there when he is working, i think they call him moss?

Friday, Mar 7 at 3:56 AM Overworked and underpaid pt1 wrote ...

It’s a shame that Bk didn’t tell the whole story of what happened. Yes, there was a fire, no it wasn’t an accident or hardware malfunction. All I can say is I came into work on that Saturday with a Jacket, but when I left I didn’t have it with me, I drove home coughing and shivering in the cold. I guess someone thought it would be funny –cough store manager, cough- to shove my jacket behind the cooling unit in the freezer. Then sometime before 9:30 pm it caught on fire.

Friday, Mar 7 at 2:34 AM Mrs Robinson wrote ...

I go to BK every weekend in the evenings. Everything is clean and the employees are right on the job. I did stop there in the middle of the week during the early afternoon and I was shocked at the difference in lack of cleanliness and quality of the food and carlessness of the people serving my food.Night shift workers Day shift loafers.

Friday, Mar 7 at 1:47 AM Overworked and underpaid pt1 wrote ...

It’s a shame that Bk didn’t tell the whole story of what happened. Yes, there was a fire, no it wasn’t an accident or hardware malfunction. All I can say is I came into work on that Saturday with a Jacket, but when I left I didn’t have it with me, I drove home coughing and shivering in the cold. I guess someone thought it would be funny –cough store manager, cough- to shove my jacket behind the cooling unit in the freezer. Then sometime before 9:30 pm it caught on fire. The other employee that

Friday, Mar 7 at 1:40 AM parent of bk employee wrote ...

No one on the shift the night of the fire was allowed to leave until their shift ended and it wasn't until the next night that the ambulance was called for that shift's employees getting sick. The guys working the night of the fire had to work in the smoke and fumes from 9:30pm until they closed and they were not allowed to call the fire department, they had to stay and finish their shift and cleanup after the shift.

Friday, Mar 7 at 1:23 AM Customer there at time of fire wrote ...

My family and I was there the night of the fire in the freezer at approx 9:39pm. I could smell something burning when I walked in the door and the kitchen was filled with smoke. The young man at the counter said there was some sort of fire in the freezer and the shift manager was on his cell phone running around the place. There were 4 men working at the time and they were not allowed to leave or call the fire dept until the shift manager talked to the store manager to find out what to do.

Friday, Mar 7 at 1:14 AM EEastman wrote ...

Every time I go into the BK in Granger IN, which is always on weekends in the evening, the place is clean and the service and food are excellent. The young man cooking is very efficient and does a good job. He's about 6'2" tall and has dark brown hair.

Wednesday, Mar 5 at 3:27 PM cs wrote ...

My husband and I like Burger King, but that location is filthy. We stopped once during our holiday shopping and thought maybe it was just a bad day for the staff, but the second time was even worse. It's too dirty for our taste and we won't be going back.

Wednesday, Mar 5 at 10:31 AM Micky Dees wrote ...

Stop complaining. Come to McDonalds to eat. Our burgers are 100% phony meat but the place is clean.

Wednesday, Mar 5 at 12:06 AM Amy wrote ...

That location is disgusting anyway!! We call it the poopy BK. It has had many sewage problems before too.

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 10:39 PM Anonymous wrote ...

carbon MONOxide...not DIoxide. monoxide is a product of something burning. Dioxide is what we exhale when we are breathing.

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 6:46 PM TALK ABOUT A COVER UP wrote ...

AFTET READING THE PAPER STORY FITZ SURE WAS COVERING HIS BACK END. FITZ NEW ABOUT WHAT HAPPEN AND TOLD DIST.MGRS WHAT TO DO AND ALSO HAD THE EMPLOYEES KEEP WORKING. YOU DIDN'T SEE ANY OF THEM BIG BOSSES IN THERE WORKING IN THAT CONDITION. FITZ NEEDS A CLASS IN WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT. EMPLOYEES OF MONEY

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 4:45 PM PW wrote ...

I think this should be a wake up call for all other fast food stores, it is pretty gross, what happen to the good old days

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 4:02 PM Bob wrote ...

Sounds like Mr. Fitzpatrick is taking some heat that might not be all his to take. Seems to me that the store and the assitant store managers should be the main ones to blame. Then talk to the district and regional managers, they knew of the problem also. It's been nothing but a cover up all along.

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 2:12 PM Suzie wrote ...

I am so grossed out!

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 2:10 PM dave wrote ...

I AM THE BURGER KING!

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 1:54 PM VERY CONCERN wrote ...

I know 2 of the employees tht work there. With dry ice in the freezer and burnt food serving to the customers, I have a problem with that. The upper management is passing the buck to the lower mangers. Shame on you. The comment what a whopper of a story, if you only knew what really what on. Friends and family could of really got hurt bad. The ambulance was there treating their employees for Carbon Dioxide. I will never eat there again.

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 12:58 PM Bee wrote ...

Man, that's a Whopper of a story. Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special smokes don't upset us.....

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 12:14 PM SANDY wrote ...

IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN FUNNY IF ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES WOULD OF DIED. THE CARBON DIOXIDE LEVEL IN THERE WAS VERY HIGH. YOU ARE RIGHT THE SUPERVISORS ONLY THINK OF MONEY NOT EMPLOYEES

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 11:44 AM An eyewitness wrote ...

I have worked in the food service industry, in this area, for over 40 years. I don't care how bad you think this particular store may be, I've seen worse. I've called the health department several times myself because it seemed too many things went unchecked. In 1976, per capita, St. Joseph County had more restaurants then anywhere else in the world. The business grew because we bought. We bought because we're basically too lazy to go home cook a meal and eat as a family.We get what we play for!

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 10:55 AM Reality wrote ...

Brin: If they aren't paying minimum wage, you need to report them to the Department of Labor for the state of Indiana.

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 10:35 AM OLD SCHOOL wrote ...

BAN THE WHOPPER!!!!!

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 9:54 AM brin wrote ...

HAving worked at a Burger King in the area (not this one in particular), this does not suprize me at all, they don't pay their employees minimum wage, and they are not very focused on food safety such as food temperatures being tested before serving the food to customers.

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 9:25 AM Zeno wrote ...

Welp, I don't like strange, gross things in my food, so I don't eat at a fast food restaurant. I worked at one when I was a teen and know what goes on. So, no. No way. Not eating at a fast food restaurant.

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 2:06 AM Granger, Right by Me wrote ...

hey BK fan. Why doesn't the owner pay out well enough to get some decent employees so you can get your food in a decent amount of time, charities, bull crap, just a tax write off....pay your people MR. Granger BK, get some good workers and get busy like the other BK's!!!

Tuesday, Mar 4 at 2:03 AM Me - A couple of blocks away... wrote ...

That Burger King NEVER has anyone there. I went a couple of times and the food took forever!! I have not gone back in months, if I want Burger King, I go to Grape Rd. or Ironwood and 23. I would never, ever go to this one and it's sad cuz it's right by my house.

Monday, Mar 3 at 10:00 PM A buger fan wrote ...

Climb down off this guys back! So a couple of employees made a bad decision, he isn't talking about firing anybody. Don't be so quick to criticize when you have less than half the facts, you embarrass yourselves. If you had any idea how much this man donates to various charities and causes in this area alone you'd write an apology, if you have more integrity than you are claiming he has.

Monday, Mar 3 at 8:56 PM BK worker wrote ...

Well this is a big misunderstanding, but being that I have worked for this company for several years I think that the right ppl should be blamed and we are not liking the way we have been treated it is unfair that instead of correcting the problems we are held liable for the problems and we can not longer take the crap that they have held above our heads and we are not going to take it anymore, The nonrespectable people that only care about number one!!! and screw everyone else

Monday, Mar 3 at 8:44 PM em wrote ...

That place is a dump and all Fitzpoo cares about is money.

Monday, Mar 3 at 4:38 PM viewer wrote ...

Doesn't surprise me what happen there. They need to close that location. No one is ever there.

Monday, Mar 3 at 4:28 PM no one wrote ...

Sounds like a real man, blame the employees.....It's all about the money.

Monday, Mar 3 at 4:01 PM Irish Worker wrote ...

Talk about your flame-broiled burgers!

Monday, Mar 3 at 3:47 PM h.heckman wrote ...

what does he care about people,its all about the money!

Monday, Mar 3 at 12:03 PM Anonymous wrote ...

he can aford the fine !

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