Explosion at Rosati’s in Palatine burns employee

An employee of Rosati’s Pizza in Palatine suffered second-degree burns on 40 percent of her body Tuesday afternoon after an oven-related explosion at the restaurant, authorities said.

Palatine Fire Department Capt. Fred Johnson said the call came in at 3:22 p.m. after two employees tried to relight a pizza oven at the restaurant at 225 W. Dundee Road. The cause of the explosion hasn’t been determined yet, he said.

The female employee was transported first to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights and then to burn center of Loyola University Hospital in Maywood. A second employee, a man, refused treatment at the scene, he said.

Representatives from Nicor were called, and gas service to the entire the strip mall was shut off for about an hour because the gas meters weren’t labeled, Johnson said. Service was restored to the other units — mostly vacant — except for Rosati’s, he said.

“It’s not like they put out a lot of business for that one hour, and it’s always better to be safe,” he said.

The Palatine Police Department also responded to the call, and an ambulance from the Arlington Heights Fire Department assisted.

No one was available for comment at the restaurant Tuesday evening.