ALBION, MI — A beloved downtown Albion restaurant is attempting to rebuild after a fire tore through the front of its building Monday, Dec. 6.
Lopez Taco House, the iconic Mexican restaurant founded in 1975 by Maria and Manuel Lopez, is currently closed due to damages from the fire.
Owner Dan Lopez, son of the founders, is trying hard to get the popular eatery, known for having some of the best tacos in the Jackson area, back open.
Related: Michigan’s Best Taco: Lopez Taco House more than just dining experience for regulars
“The restaurant is my life, it means the world to me,” said Lopez, who has worked there since he was 17.
Residents near the restaurant reported smelling burning plastic Monday morning. Fire crews were dispatched to the restaurant, 205 N. Superior St., at approximately 10:15 a.m. Albion Department of Public Safety Chief Scott Kipp was the first at the scene and found the front window area on fire. He quickly put out the flames with a fire extinguisher.
Fire crews arrived and used water on the restaurant and checked to see if the fire had spread into the roof and walls around the window, Kipp said.
The fire was contained and put out in the front area, but the front of the restaurant sustained significant smoke damage, Kipp said.
A small, decorated Christmas tree in the area is believed to be the cause of the fire, Kipp said.
No one was in the building at the time the fire broke out and no injuries were reported.
The family-owned restaurant is without insurance, Lopez said. The costs of damages are still being assessed.
However, the community is rallying behind Lopez Taco House. As of Wednesday morning, more than $13,000 has been raised on a GoFundMe page.
“I can’t believe all the support we’re getting. I get emotional when I think about it, it just means so much,” Lopez.
Those wishing to contribute can find the GoFundMe page here.
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