Fire damages Peep's Hot Dogs in Arlington Heights

No one was injured after a grease chute fire erupted Saturday night at the popular Peep's Hot Dogs in Arlington Heights, authorities said.

Authorities said customers and employees evacuated before firefighters arrived at the venerable eatery at Rand Road and Thomas Street, which is a member of the Vienna Beef Hall of Fame.

The Prospect Heights Fire Protection District was summoned to the building at 8:44 p.m.

Fire Chief Don Gould said the blaze was brought under control in short order.

"It was contained mainly in the grease chute," Gould said. "A lot of smoke in the building. There was a lot of fire coming out of the vent. We thought it was up in the roof, but after we got up there and opened it up, we found out it was just in the grease chute. So it pretty much contained itself."

Gould said Peep's has a system that's supposed to activate to temper grill flames so they don't catch onto the grease in the chute.

He said part of the fire investigation will explore whether the system operated properly.

"That grease chute over time gets loaded up," he said. "They're supposed to clean it periodically. And what happens is the fire actually lights off in the grease chute and it shoots out the roof."

Peep's is popular with students and staff at nearby Hersey High School in Arlington Heights. Craig Stroder, one of Peep's original owners and the man whose nickname adorns the business, died early this month at age 55.

Craig Stroder and his father, Don, began selling hot dogs from the back of a small trailer in 1967 when Hersey was under construction.

They brought their Chicago-style dogs to the permanent location at Rand and Thomas in 1971.

Sharon Rossman bought Peep's from the Stroders in 1981. Rossman still runs the business.

Firefighters from Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect and Wheeling were among those to assist Prospect Heights at the scene.