Abilene BBQ restaurant caught in flames Saturday

This past Saturday, April 13, the Abilene Fire Department was dispatched around 7 p.m. to a commercial structure fire off of East Highway 80 in the 800 block. Sharon's Barbeque just off Highway 80E had had one of their smokers catch fire, according to the Sharon's Barbeque social media page.

Abilene fire crews arrived to the scene to find the restaurant "with smoke coming from the back of the structure," according to the recent fire department press release.

Fire fighters discovered the origin of the fire to be "in the back room where barbecue smokers were located." The fire was then "quickly extinguished by fire crews," according to the press release.

Fire investigators have said that "there was no structural damage to the building," but that damages are estimated at $10,000. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, according to the Abilene Fire Department.

'Bear with us as we work to re-open.'

Daniel Rocha, general manager of the Sharon's Barbeque on Antilley Road, said that they currently have contractors at the Highway 80E location checking everything out after the fire. He also said that the fire got so hot that it has affected the wiring and electrical.

Rocha said that the fire started when one of the coals fell out of the fire box and ignited the nearby wood bucket, but that the damage was mostly contained to the back smoke room.

Rocha ended with the sentiment, "bear with us as we work to re-open." He said that they hope to open either next Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the decision of the health inspector.

Sharon's Barbeque currently has another location open at 2050 Antilley Road in south Abilene.

On Sharon's social media page, representatives said that they "are working to get everything cleaned up so we can get back to business," and that they are sorry for any inconvenience that the fire may have caused.