CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Fire crews were called out Friday morning at 10 a.m. to 3703 Morgan Ave., the location of the iconic Hi-Ho Restaurantwhere a fire had broken out.
Corpus Christi Fire Department Battalion Chief David Saenz said that the fire was found between the ceiling and the roof but the investigation is still underway at this point to find the cause of the fire. They suspect it started on the roof that was being worked on.
Holes were cut in the ceiling to put the fire out so there was water and smoke damage done to the inside of the popular restaurant. The damage was in the dining area and not the kitchen area.
No injuries were reported and the restaurant was evacuated before CCFD arrived on the scene. Batallion 2 Chief Schmidt said one of the cooks experienced some smoke inhalation and was transported to Christus Spohn Shoreline as a precaution.
The owner has been forced to close the restaurant for the time being, which has many community members sharing the heartbreak and standing behind the iconic Mexican restaurant in support.
"I was going to stop by, but I heard it caught on fire so I just wanted to see if it was open. It’s kind of sad because I made a lot of friends here and people that come here," customer Ramiro Chavez said.
"I’m just going to wait to see if they re-open. Hopefully they let us know when the opening will take place so we can continue coming and so they can provide the service they always give us," customer Richard Rodela said.
"This is a good restaurant and I hope that it would re-open again pretty soon because we love this restaurant me and my friend. The staff is great, the food is great. I really can't even describe the love I have for a place like this," customer Chon Rosas said.
Even the first responders on site shared their pain when getting a call to the place they eat together at frequently.
"As soon as we heard the name Hi-Ho and got the call on the radio we all know where we were going. We’re going to miss it for a while but we know he’s going to come back and make it better and stronger," Chief Saenz said.
Hi-Ho was Selena Quintanilla's favorite Mexican food restaurant. Many other celebrities have also visited the restaurant, including former U.S President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton.
With the overwhelming amount of shock and heartbreak, the owner did not want to speak, but he did tell KRIS 6 one thing. They plan on re-opening a week from the day of the fire and when they do, they want the world to know.
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