UPDATE (January 4th, 2023):
A new year means a fresh start for owners of Little Rome and its employees:
On its Facebook page, the restaurant says work has begun to rebuild the restaurant.
Depend on us to keep you posted.
EARLIER:
Christmas is going to be tough for 18 workers at a restaurant in Chatsworth, after fire destroyed it late last month.
The owner of the Little Rome Restaurant on Highway 411 says an electrical malfunction is to blame for the devastating fire.
"It was devastating, still hard to believe," says manager Amber Scott.
Brittney Owens and Amber Scott worked at the neighborhood Italian restaurant for over 7 years.
Now, as they approach Christmas, the burned building is a reminder that they are without their jobs.
So are 16 other employees of the restaurant since it burned on November 30th.
"There is a lot of history in there that burnt down... it is hard to watch," says employee Tyanna.
The fire left the restaurant a total loss, and the owner told us on Tuesday he plans to rebuild. The restaurant has been a staple in Chatsworth since 1979.
But even though insurance papers have been filed, it's not clear how long things will be back to normal.
Owner Tyler Hord says taking care of his employees is his top priority.
"We do have the unemployment phase started, but that could take some time to get going so we wanted to have a little extra money in their pockets at Christmas time," says Hord.
Hord says Little Rome was more than a place to work for many people.
"We definitely are family, a close group," says Hord.
His employees say they are grateful for the help during this difficult time.
There is now a GoFundMe page set up to help the families of affected workers have at least some form of Christmas this year.
This is a developing story and will be updated.