TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) -- Investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s Office have determined the cause of Monday's fire at Barnacle Bill's to be accidental and was believed to be an electrical malfunction.
Many locals woke up to the news that the seafood restaurant on Monroe Street sustained significant damage.
Just before 12:30 a.m., a passerby reported smoke coming from Barnacle Bill's. Three minutes after they were dispatched, the Tallahassee Fire Department arrived on scene.
TFD reported heavy smoke coming from the building on arrival. Firefighters had to force entry into the building and worked for several hours to extinguish the fire.
"[Firefighters] were able to keep it towards the front half of that building to keep it from going all the way through," said Captain Mike Bellamy. "It's a block structure. There's a lot of wood inside the structure as well, so both of those things retain a lot of heat."
North Monroe was shut down for nearly two hours during the incident to allow for a dedicated water source to fight the blaze.
Investigators say no one was inside the restaurant at the time of the fire and are still investigating what caused the fire.
The State Fire Marshal's Office were also on scene of the fire as well as local law enforcement.
TFD says the damage is an estimated half a million dollars, but the department is not calling this a total loss.
Property owner Jeff Stillwell says his mind is scattered, trying to process what's happened. After reviewing the damage, he said Club Down Below is a "swimming pool," and he is working to secure the entire building.
