CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) — A fire broke out at Chula Tacos on H Street in Chula Vista on Valentine's night, forcing the popular restaurant to close indefinitely while cleanup and repairs are completed.
The fire started just before 8:30 p.m. Saturday as the restaurant was packed with Valentine's Day diners. Lines stretched outside both the front entrance and drive-through when smoke began filling the building.
"We had a bunch of people, the restaurant was full, line was all the way outside, drive through was the same thing, line was all the way outside," said Christian Munoz, whose father owns the family-run business.
Initially, employees thought the smoke was coming from the carne asada they were cooking. But Munoz's father arrived and quickly realized something was wrong.
"He started seeing the smoke, coming up under the roof, which it was something weird, if it was just for the meat it would just be in here," Munoz said.
Employees rushed everyone out of the restaurant. One employee was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation but has since been released.
The fire department determined the fire started in the attic. The family estimates damage at around $500,000.
"From the middle all the way to the back, all the roof is gone," Munoz said.
The Valentine's Day fire dealt a significant blow to the business. The H Street location was the family's second Chula Tacos restaurant, having opened just two months ago. It will remain closed for 4 to 6 months during repairs.
The family is asking customers to support their Palm Avenue location in the meantime.
"It would be a lot of help to have them over there, give us a visit, help us out with that we would love and appreciate us a lot that they go and give us a visit," Munoz said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The business has insurance coverage.
The family wants people to know they do not have a GoFundMe page to prevent potential scammers from taking advantage of the situation.
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