Investigators say an HVAC component failed, then sparked nearby combustibles and spread to the drop ceiling and attic area. Damage estimates are at $90,000.
The restaurant was closed when the fire occurred.
Crews from Roanoke County Fire & Rescue were dispatched to the 1700 block of Thompson Memorial Drive at 11:23 a.m. for a reported structure fire at the Billy’s Barn Restaurant.
When firefighters arrived they found smoke showing from the side of the restaurant. Firefighters from the Masons Cove, Catawba, and Hollins stations have spent the past two hours searching the large attic space trying to decipher where the smoldering fire may have originated in order to extinguish it properly. Because the attic houses the HVAC system as well as being covered with insulation, it is more difficult to see where the smoldering fire begins.
A Salem crew assisted with fire suppression efforts.
An employee called 9-1-1 to report the fire. The restaurant is reportedly closed on Mondays.