Flames engulfed the once-popular Trudy's Texas Star restaurant in Austin for the second time since 2019, prompting a swift response from local firefighters. The Austin Fire Department rushed to the scene at the vacant eatery's address on 409 W 30th St, after reports of heavy smoke emerged early Thursday morning.
According to the Austin Fire Department, initial units arrived to find heavy smoke under pressure billowing from the building – a sight not unfamiliar to residents who recall the November 2019 blaze. While firefighting crews managed to douse the flames and search for fire extensions, the repeated incidents have solidified the location's status as a local hazard, its exterior now marred by graffiti and the lingering scent of char.
AFD responding to a structure fire in the 400 block of W 30th St. Initial units on scene reporting heavy smoke under pressure coming from the building. Avoid the area #ATXTraffic @austinmobility
— Austin Fire Info (@AustinFireInfo) April 11, 2024
The former dining spot, which reopened in May 2020 only to shut down again, is currently listed as "temporarily closed" on Google, but this latest fire raises questions about the building's future. CBS Austin has reached out to the restaurant's representatives for further details, but information remains scarce as of this report.
As the community reckons with the loss, once again, of a local landmark, authorities have not yet released a cause for the fire. The investigation, however, continues as firefighter crews work through the aftermath of the blaze, ensuring no embers reignite the troubled history of what was once Trudy's Texas Star, the corner of West 30th Street now stands as a quiet reminder of both cultural vibrancy and its potential for sudden, irrevocable silence.
