An early morning fire has damaged the interior of local seafood institution, Barnacle Bills.
Tallahassee Fire Department Spokesman Mike Bellamy says multiple fire units were headed to the 1800 block of North Monroe Street early Monday morning. The first calls came in around 12:30 a.m., when some employees were still in the building cleaning up after closing.
"There was heavy fire and smoke [and] a lot of heat. This is a block building with a lot of different spaces and very cut up so it was very difficult for us to get in there to the seat of the fire,” Bellamy said.
The cause of the fire, as well as the total damage estimate, are still being determined. Much of the damage is in the front of the restaurant in the dining area. Still, Bellamy says it may be possible to rebuild the restaurant, which has been a Capital City landmark for decades. Owner Jeff Stillwell was at the scene later in the morning but hasn't yet commented on his plans.
