Fire breaks out at Big Whiskey’s in Republic

Republic Fire Department responded to a fire at the Republic Big Whiskey’s on July 11.

According to Lt. Nolan McCain with the RFD, the department was alerted to the fire at about 9:30 p.m. as citizens reported an “electrical smell.”

RFD responded along with the Battlefield and Willard fire departments to Big Whiskey’s on N. Old Town Ave. The restaurant was fully evacuated after smoke was reported in the building.

According to McCain, firefighters went into “investigative mode" and began trying to locate the source of the fire.

After some searching, the source of the fire was found to be the roof where a small electrical fire had started. Crews located the issue in a void space inside the parapet of the roof.

It is still unknown what caused the fire, as investigations are still underway. The restaurant released a statement on Facebook following the blaze.

“We're incredibly thankful that everyone is safe following a small fire at Big Whiskey's Republic,” reads the statement. “Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our guests and team members.”

“Over the past several weeks, our building has been undergoing roof repairs after the historic hailstorm that hit Republic, with that work scheduled to wrap up next week. Right now, we're focused on taking care of our team and working through the next steps.”

“Republic has been home to us for many years, and we're proud to be part of this amazing community. Our team is already working to get back to normal, and we'll be moving as quickly as possible to re-open and return to normal business hours.”

“Thank you for your patience, your support, and for standing with us. We can't wait to welcome you back soon.”