GK's Family Restaurant in Richibucto gutted by fire
A Richibucto restaurant was gutted by fire on Monday night and the cause is now being investigated by the Office of the Fire Marshal.
The fire at GK's Family Restaurant on Main Street is believed to have started before 10 p.m. in the eastern New Brunswick village.
Richibucto Mayor Roger Doiron said the restaurant had closed for the night about an hour before the fire was noticed.
Richibucto fire Chief Sean Sullivan said a call came into 911 at around 10 p.m.
"They told us at the time that there was flame visible and lots of fire visible," said Sullivan. "When I left my house, I just live one street over, you could see the flames in the sky, so we knew it was going to be serious," he said.
"Of course, it was the middle of the snowstorm also, so it didn't make the job any easier, that's for sure."
Roughly 30 firefighters from Richibucto and neighbouring Rexton battled the blaze.
No one was injured in the fire, said Sullivan. "There was no one here except a snow plow driver, who called 911. He was also in the fire department. We responded and did our best to get it out, but it was too much fire."
Crews spent most of the night trying to put the fire out, getting it contained by 3 a.m., and staying at the scene until 5 a.m.
"This building is done for sure," said Sullivan. "We are hoping that they will rebuild, it's a big loss to the town. There is not a lot of businesses in town, so you don't want to lose any. We are hoping they will rebuild on the same location."
Aline Khoury, owner of the restaurant, said she closed at 9 p.m. with another employee, and even went past the building a few minutes later, at 9:24 p.m.
"I drove past the restaurant and it was fine," she said. "I have been parked across the street the whole day. I was just looking at it."
Khoury did say she hopes to rebuild. "Oh for sure."
"I own that place, I live in that place," she said. "The only thing I do not have in that place is my blanket, my mattress my bed. I put a lot of hours in that place … It's eight years of your life, you know. Three hundred and sixty-five days of the year, you're always here."
