Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
CATAWBA—A commercial barn fire outside the Homeplace Restaurant last Thursday morning caused an estimated $150,000 in damage but resulted in no injuries, according to Roanoke County Fire and Rescue.
Crews responded at 9:51 a.m. Feb. 12 to the 4900 block of Catawba Valley Drive in the Catawba area for reports of a structure fire. First-arriving units from Company 10 in the Masons Cove area reported heavy fire and smoke coming from a barn on the property and declared a working fire at 10:03 a.m.
The blaze was brought under control in about 20 minutes. No people or animals were injured, and no one was displaced as a result of the fire.
The restaurant posted the following message on Facebook, “We want to reassure our community that no one was harmed, and all animals are safe. The fire did impact the barn on the property; however, the restaurant itself was not affected. While this is a setback in some ways, it does not impact our planned April opening.”
The Roanoke County Police Department assisted with traffic control at the scene.
The Roanoke County Fire Marshal’s Office determined the fire was accidental and contained to the barn. Officials said the blaze was caused by the use of a torch to discolor wood inside the structure. No injuries or fatalities were reported.