Health officials said today they have closed down a Chinese restaurant in Lahaina and issued its owners a red placard for multiple violations, including live cockroaches and rodent droppings in the kitchen.

The Hawaii Department of Health’s Food Safety Branch issued the red placard to Fu Lin Chinese Restaurant at 1312 Front St. in Lahaina on Monday.

During a routine investigation, a health inspector noted several critical violations at the restaurant operated by AL & JL, LLC, including the presence of about two dozen cockroaches and rodent droppings throughout the kitchen.

In addition, there was a live cat in the kitchen, a violation of the food safety code.

The inspector noted there were multiple holes and openings in the walls, ceiling, and floor in the establishment, where pests can enter. In addition, there was food debris and grease accumulation throughout the kitchen.

The mechanical dishwasher lacked sanitizer. Some potentially hazardous foods were stored at improper temperatures and the handwash sink was being used for purposes other than handwashing.

In a follow-up inspection two days later, the inspector found some improvement in cleaning and some holes sealed up — but this time, there was a live rat in the front bar, plus roach activity and rat poop in the kitchen.

“Based on the severity of pest activity, the restaurant should remain closed to protect public health,” the DOH said in a news release. “The establishment will remain closed until DOH approves its reopening.”

Before being allowed to reopen, DOH is requiring Fu Lin to continue to work with a professional pest control contractor to eradicate the current infestation of cockroaches and rodents and have a monitoring and treatment plan.

In addition, the restaurant must clean any remaining food debris and grease and fill any remaining holes in the kitchen.

A follow-up inspection is scheduled on Monday.

Fu Lin describes itself on its website as a Chinese restaurant known for its modern interpretation of classic dishes and use of high-quality, fresh ingredients. Yelp, which now includes health scores in its ratings, has it listed with four out of five stars.