Employees and customers were forced to evacuate following a fire at the Auburn Taco Bell, located at 710 Auburn Way South, at 9:10 a.m. Monday.

A Taco Bell employee reported seeing smoke and flames coming from the deep-fat fryer in the kitchen area and called 911. The employees briefly tried to smother the fire with a large metal pan, but were unsuccessful. They evacuated the building. No one was injured.

Valley Regional Fire Authority firefighters responded quickly and were able to extinguish the fire. They used high-pressure fans to remove smoke from the building. The fire is under investigation.