No injuries reported, but woman displaced after apartment burns from Audrain County fire
MARTINSBURG, Mo. (KMIZ)
No injuries were reported in an Audrain County fire, but a restaurant and an attached apartment burnt down on Wednesday.
The fire was reported at Teddy Joe’s Bar and Grill -- in the 100 block of Washington Street in Martinsburg -- at 10:45 a.m. When they arrived on scene the roof was on fire.
Restaurant employees and some patrons were inside the building when the fire occurred, according to a witness.
A woman who lived in an attached apartment got a knock on the door from a waitress, who told her she needed to get out. ABC 17 News was told the woman – who wished to not be identified -- lost “everything” in the fire.
The restaurant was filled with old photos and antiques. The State Fire Marshal's Office says the cause can't be determined because of the extent of the damage.
Teddy Joe's was a staple in Martinsburg, famous for its steaks that were aged for 30 days. The restaurant was just three months away from its 20th anniversary. Employees from a nearby gas station told ABC 17 News that they were preparing extra pizza Wednesday night because Teddy Joe's was the only restaurant in town and they were expecting more customers than usual.
Madelyn Wolhbold told ABC 17 News that she chose Teddy Joe's for her birthday dinner two years in a row.
"I came here once a week at least. I always had the mac and cheese and fries," Wolhbold said.
Throughout the day people from across the area stopped by to see the remains of one of the most popular spots in Martinsburg.
"I loved the ascetic of the outside. It always made it look like it was cool," Carter Benfield said.
"A friend on the bus told me [the restaurant burned down] and I got really sad. I saw it and it's just very heartbreaking that it burned down," fellow Martinsburg resident Oakland Welch added.
Check back for updates to this developing story.
