IndyNewsCenter
A HEAVILY-FUELED FIRE IN AN INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, CHAIN RESTAURANT early Monday morning caused $4 million in damages. The Texas Roadhouse restaurant is a total loss, following a sub-freezing temperature atmosphere that left several hydrants frozen. It took the IFD nearly fifteen minutes to finally locate a good hydrant and get some flow going.
WRTV filed this video report on the fire:
WRTV also reports:
Police responded to the restaurant after a burglar alarm went off and found smoke coming from the roof of the building.
By the time firefighters arrived, they found smoke and flames billowing from the back of the building, but their effort to save the building was severely hampered by bitterly cold weather.
“A quick offensive attack ensued, however, firefighters ran out of water within minutes,” said Indianapolis fire Capt. Rita Reith. All three nearby fire hydrants that firefighters tried to use were frozen, so they were forced to pull out of the building and battle the blaze defensively. About 30 firefighters spent more than 2 hours fighting the fire, but the building was destroyed.
WRTV
Restaurant owner Steve Sergeant said that the restaurant has 135 employees and that damage estimates were high, in part, because cedar was used extensively. Sergeant hopes to transfer many of those to other Texas Roadhouse restaurants in the area. He plans to rebuild, but said it would take up to six months to complete.
The Associated Press has some additional raw video of the fire:
