Kahuna Grill, a Goleta restaurant popular with UCSB students and community members, suffered damage in a fire that broke out early yesterday morning.

The fire began at approximately 5:45 a.m. in a rear storage section that the restaurant shares with other occupants in the Camino Real Marketplace, Santa Barbara County Fire Department Captain Charlie Johnson said. Automatic sprinklers and fire alarms were triggered immediately, and by the time four engine companies and one truck from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department arrived, the building was filled with heavy smoke and water from the sprinklers.

Sixteen firefighters arrived at the scene and forced their way into the locked business to find that flames had burned through ceiling panels and destroyed all of the stored food, Johnson said. The fire was contained within 30 minutes and did not spread beyond Kahuna Grill. Fire and insurance investigators are currently working to determine the cause of the fire.

There is damage from flames and smoke throughout the building, and Johnson said the fire cost the business approximately $15,000. Kahuna Grill will reopen for business as soon as the County Health Department gives clearance to the owners.