Memphis residents were met with the news of an early morning fire at the local eatery Tops Bar-B-Q, located at 3970 Rhodes Avenue, as firefighters responded to the blaze around 4 a.m. Fortunately, no injuries were reported since the establishment had been closed for almost half a day following its 5 p.m. closure yesterday due to inclement weather. The fire at the East Memphis location has led to an indefinite closure while the extent of the damage is assessed, Action News 5 reported.
In the wake of the incident, Tops Bar-B-Q CEO Randy Hough addressed the situation, "As the safety and security of employees, customers, and communities is our top priority, we are thankful to report that no one was in the building at the time or injured in the fire this morning at Tops on Rhodes Avenue," he said. "We appreciate the work by the Memphis Fire Department to extinguish the fire, which we believe was caused by mechanical issues. At this time, the Rhodes location will be closed until repairs can be completed," as Local Memphis detailed.
The closure of Tops Bar-B-Q is yet another blow to a community that has come to rely on the familiar comfort of its smoky offerings. The doors remain shut as an investigation into the exact cause continues. Memphis Fire Department spokespersons confirm their efforts to determine the fire's origin and promise an update when available.
