The Owensboro Fire Department responded late Sunday night to a fire at the Cadillac restaurant on West 2nd Street.
The fire was reported at 11:25 p.m., and crews arrived within minutes, according to Battalion Chief Jason Pickrell, who was first on the scene. He said flames were visible coming from multiple vents, and turbulent smoke was pouring from the roof. Pickrell said his team quickly began their attack, using a ladder truck for ventilation and deploying a hand line to release significant amounts of water onto the flames.
Pickrell said the fire appeared to vent itself above the kitchen area, creating a large hole in the roof. The fire was extinguished within about 30 minutes, and crews remained on the scene until 2 a.m.
No injuries were reported, and the fire was contained to the restaurant. The cause is still under investigation.
He noted that while the back of the building sustained significant fire damage, portions of the structure, including the utility room, remain intact and might be salvageable.
The Owensboro Police Department assisted with traffic control, and AMR EMS responded to the scene, but no one required medical attention. Pickrell said a strong south wind pushed smoke toward nearby apartments, temporarily obscuring visibility in the area.
Pickrell said the Cadillac restaurant’s layout made the fire slightly more challenging to fight but credited the team’s quick response and preparation.
“We always have the ladder truck ready to go from the start,” he said. “We used it for ventilation at first, and then at the end, we used it to shoot water and finish the job.”
