UPDATE FRIDAY 11:15 A.M:
Fire inspectors with the Cape Coral Fire Department and the State Fire Marshals Office have concluded the cause of the fire is undetermined; however, they are unable to rule out electrical.
Firefighters will remain on scene throughout the day to extinguish any hot spots that could arise.
Watch below to see what the restaurant looks like during the day:
UPDATE FRIDAY 7:40 A.M.:
Cape Coral Fire says three employees tried to put out the fire with an extinguisher before the blaze spread.
According to the Batallion Chief Ian Milliken, different coolers and alcohol made the fire harder to put out. Milliken says there was only one fire hydrant nearby, so water supply became an issue.
Andrea Schuch is the Cape Coral Fire Department Public Information Officer.
"There were very windy conditions so that allowed the fire to spread very rapidly," she said.
Because of the large blaze, the fire department brought in a fire boat to attack the flames from the river. Crews used water from the Caloosahatchee River to help put it out.
PHOTOS: Boathouse Tiki Bar and Grill fire in south Cape Coral
They were able to contain it, but stayed on scene Friday morning to watch it for hot spots and flare-ups.
A fire investigator is at the scene, but as not gone inside the charred building yet. Cape Coral Fire says everyone got out safely.
Watch below to see what the restaurant looks like this morning:
Just hours before the fire erupted, the restaurant had celebrated its reopening following Hurricane Milton. It also reopened in July 2023 — nearly a year after Hurricane Ian destroyed the beloved restaurant.
ORIGINAL STORY WITH FRIDAY UPDATES:
A fire erupted at the Boathouse Tiki Bar and Grill in south Cape Coral at The Yacht Club around 9:40 Thursday evening. Multiple agencies worked to gain control of the fire. As seen from drone video shot by FOX 4 the thatched roof was fully engulfed in flames.
Our Fox 4's Anvar Ruziev captured this drone footage while on scene:
Cape Coral Community Correspondent Bella Line is on scene working to gather more information.
Per the Boathouse's Facebook page, Thursday night was their reopening following Hurricane Milton.
"When something like this happens yeah it’s very hard for us and heartbreaking," Elizabeth Reitinger, a woman, viewing the damage on Friday said.
There is no word on any injuries.
"Where they believe the fire started, it’s not safe for them to access, to go in themselves to investigate that cause further or to lay eyes on it," Andrea Schuch said on Friday, October 18.
We'll continue to update this story as new information becomes available.
Watch Fox 4's Bella Line report from the fire:
Watch our earlier coverage from Fox 4 News at 11:30 p.m on Thursday:
Watch our earlier coverage from Fox 4 News at 11 p.m.:
Watch our earlier coverage from Fox 4 News at 10 p.m.:
