MOORESVILLE, N.C. — A popular Mooresville restaurant will be closed after flames ripped through it overnight.
The fire started around 11 p.m. at the Captain’s Galley along East Plaza Drive.
[IMAGES: Flames rip through popular Mooresville restaurant]
The damage, which was mostly confined to the drive-thru area, could be seen on the roof and walls of the restaurant.
Fire chief Curt Deaton told Channel 9 the flames and smoke caused excessive damage to the family-owned restaurant.
We first updated WSOCTV news app users with a notification just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday to let them know about what happened to this popular establishment.
Download the WSOCTV news app for your smartphone and get updates on this developing story as they come in.
He said firefighters had a lot to consider when trying to put out the flames. It took them about an hour to get the fire under control.
“Large building, large seating area. (They) had to be very careful. It’s hot out here. We had a lot of building to burn. We had to take care of folks,” Deaton said.
The fire marshal told Channel 9 that he believes an electrical issue was to blame for the blaze.
Channel 9 learned the restaurant was closed Tuesday for the Independence Day holiday.
One woman told Channel 9 that the Captain's Galley is a well-known restaurant in the Mooresville community.
“It's going to be a great loss to the employees that work there,” said Jamie McClure. “My prayers and thoughts are with them and the families that are affected by this loss.”
The seafood spot has been around for decades and used to be home to a steakhouse.
Residents hope the owner can rebuild.
“I ate here four or five days ago. Kind of a shock. Hopefully, it’s minimum damage and they get back up,” resident James Ritchie said.
Firefighters remained at the scene Wednesday morning checking for hot spots.
Investigators said signs and boards were posted to keep people out.
It's unclear how long it would take to rebuild and reopen the restaurant.
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