San Angelo Fire Department Saves Bubba's Smoke House

SAN ANGELO, TX — The popular barbecue restaurant Bubba’s Smoke House caught fire Wednesday evening. At around 9:15 p.m The San Angelo Fire Department arrived quickly and likely saved Bubba’s Smoke House.

Bubba’s is a highly rated (via Google reviews) and popular eatery for many San Angeloans. Just today, they were serving their $2 pulled pork sandwiches, their Wednesday special.

Bubba’s is located the five-way intersection at Avenue N and Ben Ficklin. The initial call on the radio reported active flames inside the restaurant. Smoke filled all windows and doors of the restaurant.

It smelled like barbecue as smoke rose, filling up the evening sky.

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Fire Marshal Ross Coleman said firefighters were initially dispatched to a dumpster fire said to be located behind the smoke house. When they arrived, firemen noticed the fire had jumped into the meat smoker area of the joint. “Some embers and unburned mesquite caught fire as a result of the high winds blowing the dumpster fire towards the smoker area.

In short, the dumpster fire turned into a structure fire.

Firefighters arrived soon enough to stop the fire in the smoker area, Coleman said. “The fire was extinguished within minutes,” he said.

No foul play is suspected.

Coleman said the damage is manageable. “Right now the owners are here and they are trying to salvage refrigerated items,” he said. The fire caused some minor electrical damage in the back, but the owners were able to restore power.

Will Bubba’s reopen? “I think the owners are in the early stages to determine if they can open back up tomorrow,” Coleman said.