A Mt. Morris grocery store was damaged Feb. 24 by a late afternoon fire that probably started in a deep fat fryer.

Mt. Morris Fire Chief Rob Hough said Sullivan's Foods sustained fire damage to the kitchen in the deli and smoke damage throughout the store.

"The probable cause was a malfunction with a deep fat fryer," Hough said Monday. The Illinois State Fire Marshall's office is assisting with the investigation.

By the time firefighters arrived, staff members had evacuated customers and workers from the store.

"The Sullivan's staff did an excellent job getting the staff and patrons evacuated and everyone accounted for," Hough said.

The fire department was called at 5:37 p.m., and arrived on the scene to find smoke coming from the roof and doors on the south side of the building, Hough said.

"There was a fairly substantial fire in the kitchen," he said. "We were able to contain the fire to the kitchen."

Firefighters from the Polo, Oregon, and Byron Fire Departments assisted Mt. Morris at the scene.

The store was closed for the remainder of Friday evening but reopened on Saturday morning.