Thanksgiving Day is considered the peak day for home cooking fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association which reports that more than three times the daily average for cooking fires occur on the holiday.

What about fires destroying a fast food restaurant on Thanksgiving? No statistic seems to be available on that.

“You wouldn’t think of a fast food joint catching fire,” said Chris Ellis, chief of the Fairhope Volunteer Fire Department.

But that’s exactly what happened on Thursday, as more than 30 firefighters from multiple agencies in Baldwin County battled a blaze to a McDonald’s restaurant at 111 Greeno Road N.

No one was injured in the fire that started before 3 p.m. Firefighters from Fairhope, Daphne, Silverhill and Fish River/Marlow were on the scene until 7:30 p.m. putting out a blaze that led to the eatery’s roof to collapse, and leaving the building at a complete loss.

Ellis said Fairhope fighters had to return to the restaurant around 9 p.m. after the fire restarted.

“There was a hot spot inside and it was getting oxygen,” said Ellis, adding that the response from fighters on Thanksgiving — many of whom are volunteer firefighters — helped Fairhope’s agency contain the blaze.

“I just appreciate all the hard work of the firefighters who were there,” he said.

Ellis said there was staff inside the restaurant at the time of the fire. It’s unclear if any customers were inside.

He said the State Fire Marshal is expected to be at the restaurant to investigate an official cause on Monday.

The restaurant’s owner could not be reached.

According to Baldwin County property records, the owner is FST and Greeno Properties Northeast Inc. of Spanish Fort. The property’s appraised value is $1.4 million, and the restaurant was built in 1992.

“They are going to have to rebuild, for sure,” he said. “The owner seemed to indicate that.”