JACKSON MCDONALDS AIMS TO OPEN IN APRIL

JACKSON -- After 10 years of business, the McDonalds Restaurant in Jackson was the victim of a flame broiling in December. But company officials expect to be back, frying up a full McMenu by April.

A 40-man crew has worked to clean and rebuild the restaurant at 2220 E. Highway 61 for a couple of weeks.

Crews will tear out the fire-damaged roof, walls and studs and replace them. They also will replace kitchen equipment, furniture in the dining area, and several of the windows in addition to the rest of the decor.

A spokeswoman for McDonalds said crews estimated the work would take about 90 days to complete. She said the fast-food restaurant might be open for business in April.

"It should be open by then," she said, "maybe sooner."

She said the decor might be different, but the restaurant would be similar to what it was before the fire.

"But it's pretty much a total rebuilding," the spokeswoman said.

As far as the children's playland, she said McDonalds would use the area the same part of the restaurant that was the playland before the fire. She said the company has no plans to expand the children's playland or any other areas of the restaurant.

The restaurant was gutted by fire Dec. 7. The blaze destroyed much of the interior and the roof of the building, but the spokeswoman said much of the building's structure wasn't damaged extensively.

Jackson and Cape Girardeau firefighters battled the McDonalds blaze for about five hours. Jackson firefighters were at the restaurant until late the next morning extinguishing hot spots.

An investigation by the Jackson Fire Department and Missouri State Fire Marshall's office concluded the fire started in a storage room where a gas water heater and a leaf blower were stored. Officials said gas fumes from the leaf blower were ignited by the water heater.

Although the fire occurred during business hours and spread quickly, the crew and customers evacuated safely. No one was injured.

The spokeswoman said company officials have heard comments from customers in the McDonalds Restaurants in Cape Girardeau wishing for the quick rebuilding of the Jackson franchise. She said customers have said they didn't want to drive to Cape Girardeau just to satisfy their "McDonalds fix."

Workers from the McDonalds Restaurant in Jackson retained their jobs despite the fire. Within a couple days after the fire, employees were reassigned to the McDonalds restaurants in Cape Girardeau.