Fire in Grayton Beach (Little Italy)

[30A Skunkape]

I heard fire engines about 5:30 this morning, I went outside to go to workand the lower garden district was choked with smoke. 30-A was blocked east of Defuniak Street and a bunch of fire trucks were parked in front of the shopping center where Starbucks is. A deputy told me the Italian Restaurant had burned, not sure to what degree but it was super smoky.

 

[Here4Good]

What a shame. Hope to hear more details.

 

[ComradeMikel]

Definitly keep this updated whenever you find out more.

 

[ComradeMikel]

Just found out it was in fact Little Italy and that the damage was pretty extensive so it's not looking great for them to stay in business.

 

[Abby Prentiss]

Pretty extensive, Brad Congleton CPA upstairs will move in to a temp space in Uptown Grayton - all his data is safe. The spa next door also got some damage.

 

[bluemtnrunner]

Breaks my heart! Those poor guys. Thank God no one was hurt. Word on the street is that the gas pizza oven was the cause. You know how the street is though, unconfirmed.

 

[Jdarg]

Breaks our hearts too! We loved that place. Such a sad day for the owners, employees, and customers.

 

[30A Skunkape]

Wow. The odd thing is the deputy manning the barricade told me the restaurant's motion detection alarm went off, then the responding unit found fire.:shock:

I'll say this, the smoke coming from that fire was so noxious, smelled like burnt rubber and such, that I had an irritated nose and throat most of the morning after being exposed all of one minute or so. I have never smelled anything like that.

 

[Abby Prentiss]

The South Walton Fire District (SWFD) received a call at 5:23 A.M.this morning reporting a structure fire. SWFD crews from Station 2arrived within minutes of the initial call at 50-1 Uptown GraytonCircle, Little Italy Restaurant.
Upon arrival SWFD crews encountered a single story commercialrestaurant with heavy fire involvement. Adjacent to the restaurantwas a two story structure that also sustained fire damage. Despitethe separate fires, SWFD crews were still able to knock down theflames and save the majority of the structures involved.
An additional unit (in close proximity) only sustained smoke damages.No one was present at any of the four units involved and no one wasinjured during this fire. SWFD crews had the fires under controlwithin 35 minutes of the first arriving unit.
Investigators with the SWFD and the State of Florida Fire Marshal’sOffice were not able to complete the investigation due to theunstable condition of the restaurant roof. Once the roof is secured,the investigation will continue and a cause and origin should bedetermined.