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.
Sources: Arson suspected in beefy king fire. #wftv
— Shannon Butler (@SButlerWFTV) November 12, 2019
.@beefy_king family owner Shannon Woodrow says they hope to have the restaurant open again in 48 hours. They say the fire is being investigated as a possible case of arson. Law enforcement is looking at surveillance footage now. pic.twitter.com/jqQlolSmZ2
— Q McCray (@QMcCrayWFTV) November 12, 2019
CLOSED TODAY our beloved Beefy King caught fire around 1am. No one was hurt & Minimal damage to the building.Orlando Fire Dept acted swiftly & prevented the fire from spreading. Orlando police Dept has been so helpful as well. Everything is being investigated
— Beefy king (@beefy_king) November 12, 2019
Orlando staple @beefy_king will remain closed due to overnight fire. Damage is minor but enough keep the popular restaurant closed. The cause is still under investigation. pic.twitter.com/rf2XjE0Pjq
— Q McCray (@QMcCrayWFTV) November 12, 2019
Beefy King has been a mainstay in our city’s food scene for decades. I’m sure it will be back to serving its famous sandwiches soon.https://t.co/o2AEsHQvBp
— Mayor Buddy Dyer (@orlandomayor) November 12, 2019
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