Popular BBQ restaurant closes after large kitchen fire
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VICTOR — A popular barbecue restaurant is temporarily out of business in Victor after the kitchen burned down early Tuesday morning.
According to a GoFundMe page, Big Hole BBQ sustained significant damage from a structure fire. The fire happened at around 5:30 a.m.
The owner of Big Hole BBQ, Nick Jacob told EastIdahoNews.com thankfully nobody was injured. However, their kitchen is a total loss.
The community has stepped up to help the restaurant.
Tom Combs, a friend of Big Hole BBQ, created the GoFundMe page and wrote, “As a result of the significant damage, many workers, perhaps 15-20, or more, will be displaced from work for an unknown amount of time. With builders and contractors being backed up for months, if not years, who knows how long the rebuild will take.”
Jacob said they are insured. He explained they do have a Big Hole BBQ location in Jackson, Wyoming and they are going to get the Victor location up and going again as soon as possible.
“We are so grateful for such an understanding and caring community. Our phones have been going crazy with offers to help. Our staff is awesome and can’t wait to roll their sleeves up and pitch in wherever they can,” said Jacob. “We are blessed that no one got hurt and we are able to repair the damage and get back to serving our awesome community.”
Big Hole BBQ is known for slow-smoked food made from scratch. According to their website, they have won several awards for the “Best Teton Valley Restaurant.”
As for the cause of the fire, Jacob told EastIdahoNews.com that it’s likely electrical.
According to Earle Giles, Fire Marshal at Teton County Fire District, there were two different fires at Big Hole BBQ. The first one happened on Monday night around 11 p.m. which was outside the business. Giles said it was a mechanical fire from an appliance.
“About six or seven hours later (Tuesday morning), we were called back to the same building and this time, it was interior (in the kitchen),” he said.
Giles said there is extensive smoke damage and that the cause of the fire is still under investigation.