WEST CHESTER, PA — A fire in a crawl space beneath the kitchen of D-K Diner in West Chester prompted health officials to order the restaurant closed Wednesday until damage is repaired and the facility passes a reinspection.
According to the Chester County Health Department, an employee arriving at the diner around 5:30 a.m. smelled smoke and contacted the fire department. Firefighters traced the source to a crawl space beneath a staircase in the rear kitchen, where flooring was cut open and water used to extinguish the blaze.
During a post-fire inspection at 8:45 a.m., county inspectors determined that smoke and water damage created an imminent health hazard and ordered the restaurant to cease operations immediately.
Before reopening, D-K Diner must discard any food and single-use items contaminated by smoke, water or firefighting materials; clean and disinfect all affected surfaces; repair damaged floors, walls and ceilings; and ensure fire suppression equipment is restored and operational. The restaurant cannot reopen until it receives written approval from the health department.
Elsewhere in Chester County, inspectors cited Antojitos Ecuatorianos in Malvern for multiple food safety violations, including storing raw meats above ready-to-eat foods, lacking hand soap at a handwashing sink and keeping a garlic-oil mixture at room temperature. Inspectors also found unlabeled chemical bottles, improperly labeled desserts and food debris on cookware that had remained on a stovetop for more than four hours.
At Hartefeld National Golf Club in Avondale, inspectors discarded pasta and sauces that had been held beyond the seven-day limit for ready-to-eat foods and noted that new flooring planned for the kitchen must receive county approval before installation.
An opening inspection at Whitford Country Club in Exton identified several facility issues, including gaps under exterior doors, the absence of a handwashing sign in an outdoor grill area, inadequate plumbing safeguards and unsealed wood beneath a bar counter.
The following establishments were found to be in compliance during inspections conducted June 25:
- Bethany Presbyterian Church, Chadds Ford
- Dairy Queen / Jenners Village, West Grove
- El Taco Loco LLC, West Chester
- Innabah Program Center, Spring City
- Joey’s Pizza, Thorndale
- Julie Anne’s Place, Malvern
- Kelly’s Breakfast & Lunch, Thorndale
- MOD Pizza – Gateway Shopping Center, Wayne
- Opa Taverna Greek Restaurant, West Chester
- Purebread Deli, Kennett Square
- Timber Wolfe Lanes LLC, Oxford
- Waterview Café at Waterview Swim Club, West Chester
The Chester County Health Department noted that restaurant inspections represent conditions observed at the time of inspection and may not reflect an establishment’s long-term sanitation practices.
Residents who witness unsanitary conditions or believe a food establishment requires investigation can submit an Environmental Health Complaint at https://www.chesco.org/5843. Anyone who becomes ill after eating at a food establishment should call 610-344-6225 instead of submitting the online form.
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.