Friends and Family Restaurant burns in Pearisburg

Patriot Staff Report

A regional dining favorite – Friends and Family Restaurant in Pearisburg – was all but destroyed by fire late Monday night.

According to the Town of Pearisburg, at approximately 11:48 p.m., the Giles County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call of a possible structure fire at 100 Woodland Drive, Pearisburg – also known as the Friends and Family Restaurant.

The restaurant is located directly across from the Pearisburg Walmart and near Giles High School.

The Pearisburg Fire Department and Pembroke Fire Department were immediately dispatched to respond.

An officer from the Pearisburg Police Department and a Giles County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived on the scene at 11:50 p.m. and confirmed heavy smoke and fire was coming from the rear of the restaurant.

The Pearisburg Fire Department arrived on scene at 11:53 p.m. At that time, flames were coming out of the roof of the structure.

Initial arriving crews attempted an aggressive interior attack on the fire, but quickly recognized unsafe conditions and an impending roof collapse. After evacuating the structure, they took a defensive posture, and requested the assistance of the Celanese Emergency Response Team’s Ladder Truck.

No one was inside the restaurant at the time of the blaze, as it had closed several hours prior to the time of the call.

Approximately 50 first responders answered the fire call from Pearisburg Fire Department, Pembroke Fire Department, Celanese Emergency Response Team, Giles Lifesaving and Rescue Squad, Pearisburg Police Department and Giles County Sheriff’s Office.

There were no injuries and a cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.