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'It could have been so much worse': Beefy King alleged arsonist arrested, officials say

ORLANDO, Fla. — Sources in the Orlando Fire Department told Channel 9's Shannon Butler that they suspect arson caused the fire that damaged Orlando's beloved Beefy King restaurant Tuesday morning.

The restaurant, a staple serving up sandwiches in the City Beautiful for 50 years, caught fire around 1:30 a.m.

Arson investigators arrived on the scene shortly after.

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Officials with the Orlando Fire Department announced late Tuesday evening that they arrested John Huff for arson and transported him to the Orange County Jail.

Firefighters said the damage to the building on Bumby Avenue is “fixable.”

Surveillance footage from a nearby business shows a car in the parking lot of Beefy King when the fire starts at the back of the business.

The owners of Beefy King said they hope to be back serving up their famous roast beef sandwiches soon after fire damage forced the restaurant to close.

The owners of the restaurant told Channel 9 that Beefy King will reopen, but they are not sure how long repairs will take. One of the owners, Shannon Woodrow, said they're hoping to be back open in 48 hours.

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"We're just going to clean up and get back to serving beef. It's what we do," she said.

Woodrow said she was "absolutely terrified" when she and her family got the call about the fire.

"We're still in shock," she said. "It could have been so much worse."

The restaurant could reopen Monday.

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