Early-morning fire causes destruction of restaurant

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Western Sizzlin' was destroyed early Sunday morning by what authorities believe was an accidental fire that started in the attic and burned unnoticed for an extended period.

"The preliminary conclusions suggest that the fire started in the attic above the kitchen," said Poplar Bluff Police Detective Gary Pride.

When the first Poplar Bluff Fire Department crew arrived two minutes after the alarm sounded, Capt. Stacy Harmon said, they couldn't see smoke in the front of the building.

"The blinds were down and the windows were tinted," he said. "We didn't see anything until we got to the southwest corner of the building. There, we could see flames coming out the top of the roof."

Pride said there were some passersby who reported "they saw smoke coming out of the top of the building, but didn't think anything of it because it is a common sight at a restaurant to see that. And it's true."