A fire that gutted a Waipahu restaurant has been ruled accidental, closing out one question but leaving the owner with heavy losses.

• An unattended gas griddle started the blaze at Leeward Drive-Inn on October 2nd.
• The griddle set fire to built-up grease inside an exhaust vent.
• The two-alarm fire gutted the restaurant, with damage put at $903,000.
• Tension between the owner and city authorities over a Bishop Street building has been running high for the past year.

Outlook: With the cause settled as accidental, attention shifts to insurance claims and whether the restaurant rebuilds.