The fire that sparked inside a popular Washington Court House restaurant remains under investigation while the establishment is shut down indefinitely.
The Willow, located at 203 Glenn Avenue, had smoke billowing from its roof shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday night. Multiple fire departments from around the county responded.
Passersby and citizens alike swarmed to the area to watch a piece of Fayette County history burn. Firefighters were able to get inside the building through the front doors, but had to cut holes in the roof to ventilate the once-Chinese restaurant.
There’s no immediate word on what caused the blaze, but a captain with the Washington Court House Fire Department said that the exact cause is still under investigation. The state fire marshal said they have not been requested to launch an arson investigation when asked by the Guardian on Monday.
The fine dining owners, Denny and Kelly Smith, posted on their Facebook page that The Willow will remain closed until further notice.
“Thank you to the local community for their outpouring of support,” the post reads. “Unfortunately, The Willow caught fire yesterday evening and significant damage was caused. All employees and staff are safe, as this occurred after hours. We will be closed until further notice….we appreciate everyone’s prayers and support during this time.”
