Crime & Safety
Ann Arbor, MI Fire Closes 2 Restaurants After Early-Morning Blaze
Ann Arbor, MI – Two downtown Ann Arbor restaurants will remain closed pending health department evaluations after an early morning fire Saturday sent smoke and water into neighboring businesses.
By Mason Reid · 2026-10-03T13:26:19.743Z
Ann Arbor, MI – Two downtown Ann Arbor restaurants will remain closed pending health department evaluations after an early morning fire Saturday sent smoke and water into neighboring businesses.
According to the Ann Arbor Fire Department , firefighters were dispatched at 2:52 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, to a structure fire at 505 E. Liberty Street.
Crews arrived to find flames coming from the roof of Tomukun Noodle Bar. Firefighters climbed to the roof and determined the fire was coming from the restaurant's kitchen hood exhaust system, the department said.
Hoselines were quickly deployed, allowing crews to suppress the flames and limit direct fire damage to the single restaurant.
However, smoke and water spread into two businesses — Lab Cafe and Tomukun Korean BBQ. The fire department said both businesses will remain closed until they can be evaluated by the Washtenaw County Health Department.
Authorities said the fire started inside the kitchen of Tomukun Noodle Bar and appears to have originated from a trash can.
The fire department did not report any injuries in its initial announcement or provide a damage estimate.
The incident occurred along East Liberty Street in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor, near the University of Michigan campus. Customers planning to visit the affected restaurants should check for reopening information before heading downtown.
Fire officials credited the rapid response with containing the blaze and preventing direct fire damage from spreading beyond Tomukun Noodle Bar.