WOODWAY, Texas — Late Sunday night, Helberg BBQ just outside of Waco in Woodway caught fire and caused extensive damage to the restaurant.
The fire was reported at the restaurant by the China Spring Volunteer Fire Department around 8 p.m. but the owner Phillip Helberg told 6 News the fire may have started hours before.
"Neighbors in the area told me they did see smoke coming from the trailer around four that afternoon, but they just assumed it was coming from the smoker," Helberg explained.
Helberg says when he started getting calls about the fire and arrived at his restaurant around 7:30 p.m., his trailer and the inside of the restaurant was already fully engulfed in flames.
"We closed at three in the afternoon that day and nobody was at the restaurant," Helberg added.
Helberg believes the fire started in the kitchen and then was able to spread to the inside of the building.
The Helberg BBQ had opened in 2018 in a trailer and grew to have an indoor restaurant over a year later. They were known to be a a premier destination for BBQ in the Lone Star State, according to the Texas Monthly.
Helberg has yet to receive an exact estimate of the cost of damage but he believes it will be well over $100,000.
Despite this tragedy, Helberg has faith in God that his business will one day be restored.
"He's lift us up in this position because we give all things and glory to him for everything and it's no different right now," Helberg said. "He's going to work through the situation I have no doubt in my mind."
A GoFundMe page has also been created to assist the business as they navigate what is to come for them going forward. As of around 6:20 p.m. on Monday, over $15,000 has been raised to help the owners.