Dateline: August 15, 2002

Fire damages kitchen at Sam Hill BBQ  

By Carrie Helms, Clarendon Enterprise

Frank and Terry Hommel, owners of local restaurant Sam Hill’s Pit B-B-Q, will be facing weeks of clean up and repair work after fire damaged the building before the business opened Friday morning.

The call came in to the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department at 9:17 a.m.  5 units and 11 men, including Assistant Fire Chief Patrick Robertson, responded immediately.

“There was heavy smoke coming from the cooker, and when they opened it to see what was going on, fire went out the door and up the wall to the ceiling,” Robertson said. “They bailed out quickly, and no one was hurt.”

The fire was out by 9:50, in time to save the building from serious structural damage.

“We might have lost the whole building,” Frank Hommel said, “but the fire never reached the attic.”

The damage inside, however, was extensive.

“The kitchen was totally gutted,” Robertson said, “and there’s heavy smoke, heat, and water damage to other parts of the building.”

The fire not only destroyed the kitchen, but several hundred dollars worth of equipment as well.

“The cash register, the TV and stereo, and the Coke machine were all just melted,” Hommel said.

Ironically, the only part of the building not damaged by smoke was the smoking section.

 “We will have to redo all of the kitchen and front dining room,” Hommel said. “The cedar ceiling planks in the dining room will all have to be replaced.”

According to the Hommels, the building was insured, but there is no word yet on how much of the damage will be covered.

“We had someone come check out how much it would cost just to clean up,” Hommel said, “and he said it would take him 4 hours just to put all the information in the computer to come up with an estimate.”

Hommel said he would be meeting with insurance adjusters later in the week to see just how extensive and expensive the damage really is.

“We have no idea how long it will take us to get things ready to reopen,” Hommel said, “but we will try as soon as we can.”