Restaurant destroyed in blaze
DEVASTATING FIRE WIPES OUT POPULAR MISSION BEACH EATERY AND
business owners have watched their hearts and souls go up in smoke after an inferno tore through some of Mission Beach’s most iconic buildings.
The quiet off-season town was packed with fire crews on Friday morning as fire investigators combed through the charred remnants of the iconic Peppervine restaurant.
The culinary staple of the Cassowary Coast, known for its fine dining just a stone’s throw from the beach, was nothing but a gutted shell – and the damage did not stop there.
Scooped no1 ice cream owner Linda Willes received an unexpected call at 4.20am.
It was Peppervine’s owners, who did not wish to comment to media, alerting her to the blaze.
The airconditioning and all of the wood on one side of her shop was up in flames.
“When I got here there was smoke piling out of the roof,” she said. “And when I opened the door there was just a heap of smoke.
“I’m not allowed into the shop yet, of course, but there were a lot of freezers and everything on that side of the
wall that are melted.
“Damage-wise, I’ve got no idea until I can get in there and check it all out.”
Ms Willes also owns a nearby fish and chip shop which thankfully escaped any damage.
She did not know whether her ice cream operation would ever reopen.
“Of course, I’m absolutely gutted that I’ve literally just restocked everything and lost it all now, but I really, really feel sorry for … the owners of Peppervine,” she said. “I’ve still lost basically everything in there but the main thing is that everyone is OK, there was no one in the places at the time.
“I’m just absolutely devasDEVASTATED
tated and hopefully I can be covered enough to replace what I need to replace.”
Peppervine, which was on the market, has long been a major tourism drawcard to Mission Beach.
It was also a favourite with
locals, and was on the market for a new owner last year.
“It’s a very, very big loss,” Ms Willes said.
“Peppervine is an absolutely wonderful restaurant, I’ve eaten there all the time.
“I normally go to the side window and, ‘Hey chef, I need dinner!’
“We’ve had quite a few fires go through different places around here so to have another one’s a big devastation.”
A witness to the fire, who did not want to be named, said it could not have come at a worse time for the town.
“It’s basically gutted the whole building,” he said.
“It seemed to originate in Peppervine, and it’s hard to say but there was definitely
damage to neighbouring businesses as well.
“Then there’s the biggest shop that used to be a supermarket five years ago and has been empty since then – that was on fire as well.
“It’s scary. I feel for the shop owners – it’s just before tourist season as well.”
Police confirmed an investigation was under way with the scene being forensically examined by authorities.
There was no indication of suspicious circumstances.