CEDAR FALLS -- Firefighters estimate that a blaze Monday at Biemann's Chuck Wagon at 2627 Center St. in Cedar Falls burned unchecked for at least a half hour before being spotted by a passer-by. The restaurant currently is closed due to the fire.

The fire, which may have caused as much as $125,000 in damage, reportedly was caused after an employee emptied an ash tray containing a lit cigarette into the garbage before closing up, said Cedar Falls Fire Chief Steve Mitchell.

No one was in the building when the blaze erupted. The restaurant closes early on Sundays and Mondays, and the staff left at 4 p.m. on Monday. The smoke billowing from the building was reported to firefighters at 5:31 p.m.

Firefighters were met inside the building with intense heat and flame, said division commander Larry Burman. The kitchen and office were fully involved in flames already. Major smoke damage immediately was visible.

Firefighters traced the source of the flames to the office, where a V-shaped burn was evident above the trash can.

After the initial flames had been extinguished, firefighters had to go into the walls and ceiling to search for fire spots. Due to the extensive remodeling already done on the building, several empty areas existed between the ceiling and the roof, which Burman said would be advantageous for a spreading flame.

Several members of the restaurant's staff and its owners gathered nearby as firefighters inspected the structure. Candace Holman, a part-time waitress at the Chuck Wagon, said she didn't feel fortunate to have been gone when the fire started.

"Maybe if someone had been here, they could have done something to prevent this," she said. "I don't know if it's lucky or not."

Holman had gone home after closing her shift earlier that day. Her mother had called her after learning the building had been on fire. Holman had returned to the restaurant to find the news was bad.

The Chuck Wagon was approaching its one-year anniversary under its current management, Holman said. A celebration had been planned for May 31.

"Everyone was pretty excited about it," she said. "I guess it's not going to happen now."

Biemann had little comment about the incident, saying only, "It's a mess in there," and complimenting the Cedar Falls fire department on a job well done.

He said he didn't know if he plans to re-open the restaurant.

The Chuck Wagon opened a year ago after Biemann's former resturaunt, the Black Hawk, closed down after 17 years. It's the fourth resturaunt owned by Biemann.

Contact Luke Jennett at (319) 291-1473 or ljennett@iastate.edu.