CANTON, Ga. — Cherokee County firefighters and investigators are trying to figure out what sparked a fire that badly damaged a well-known Canton restaurant.
Williamson Brothers Bar-B-Q's Canton location remains temporarily closed, as the owners figure out their next steps.
Owner and operator, Reyes Morales, said he got a call just after 1 a.m. Sunday, saying his building off of Marietta Highway, which has been a staple here for 21 years, was on fire.
"Normally sometimes people see the smoke because we cooking in the back, overnight sometimes. They call the fire department and we thought it was that. But when we came in, we saw about 10 fire trucks," he said.
The first crew of Cherokee County firefighters on-scene "made an aggressive interior attack" while searching for victims, the department said. However, due to the smoke conditions and "configuration of the structure," they said there was some "difficulty locating the seat of the fire."
General Manager Sharon Morales is grateful it was only material damage and that no one was hurt.
“We appreciate that [firefighters] stayed in there, got the fire out. We still have a building," she added. "A couple of back rooms were damaged but it could've been much worse.”
Cherokee County fire officials said the fire started in the dry storage room but are still investigating the cause.
Now, Reyes and Sharon are working with the insurance company to assess the total damage and see when their doors could reopen.
They said they are trying to remain positive in the midst of everything.
"We don’t have to see the bad things that come – we have to see the good things coming: the friends and family. Look how rich we are, with all the friends and family," Reyes said.
They said they want to reopen as soon as they get the green light, and believe it could be sooner rather than later, thanks to the community support.
"Lowe's already planned a way to get the material we need back," Reyes said. "All the construction guys and friends said, 'When you're ready, we'll be here for you.'"
"Thanks to the hard work and ability to adapt by firefighters on scene, the fire was located and quickly extinguished before more damage could occur," the fire department wrote on social media.
Reyes believes that once they reopen the doors, they'll have a long line of eager customers. He said that while right now there is no timeline on reopening, he predicts it could be anywhere between 2-3 months.
“This is a family restaurant. Every single customer is our family. It’s not a customer. Our staff – every single one. Thank you to our community, our friends, family, staff… we’re going to come back. And we’re going to come back bigger and better," he added.
Sharon, who is married to Reyes, echoed that thought.
“It's been overwhelming – an honor... We appreciate it. It’s just been very emotional," she said.
They both said they are not looking for any kind of fundraisers. All they want are prayers.