A report of a fire at the Popeye’s restaurant, 1710 US 90 in Liberty, disrupted business Saturday evening around 5 p.m.
According to Liberty Fire Chief Bryan Hurst, smoke in the building prompted a call for assistance. When firefighters arrived, they looked for smoke inside a wall where the smoke had been spotted. However, no evidence of a fire could be found.
“Some of the ceiling collapsed, but that wasn’t caused by a fire,” Hurst said.
Outside the restaurant, firefighters found what is believed to have been the origin of the smoke — mulch in the flower beds that appears to have been ignited. Chief Hurst suspects a discarded lit cigarette might have started the blaze.
According to Hurst, the smoke likely wafted into the building, creating the concern about a possible fire inside the building.
“The ceiling that collapsed created a mess that the restaurant will have to clean up before they can reopen,” Hurst said.
By Vanesa Brashier, editor@bluebonnetnews.com