Roof damaged in Chespeake restaurant fire

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) - Chesapeake fire crews found smoke inside a seafood restaurant in the Western Branch section of the city Tuesday morning.

Battalion Chief Mike Thibeault with the Chesapeake Fire Department said crews were dispatched to Amory’s Seafood Restaurant located at 2449 Old Taylor Road just before 5 a.m. for a report of smoke coming from the roof.

Photos: Fire at Amory's Seafood

When crews arrived on scene, they found light smoke inside the building.

The fire was reported under control around 6 a.m., Thibeault said.

A cause has not been determined and the fire remains under investigation, though crews have been able to determine the fire originated in the kitchen. No one was in the building at the time of the fire.

The restaurant is owned by Alice Amory and was a popular establishment in the Great Bridge neighborhood.

"It was like 'Cheers.'  Everybody knew your name, it was a family restaurant," Amory said. "Everybody just loved us and we loved them and it was our life. A part of us just died."

Thibeault said the restaurant was in a three business strip building. The restaurant sustained significant damage to the roof while the other businesses sustained moderate smoke damage. 

Building owner Wilson Garland said if the building had to be torn down, it will take four to six months to get it up and running again.