Monday traffic on East Busch Boulevard hit a snag when a structure fire broke out at the Olive Garden restaurant, prompting a sizable response from Tampa Fire Rescue and squeezing eastbound drivers into a single open lane.
Tampa Fire Rescue is on scene of a structure fire at the Olive Garden restaurant on Busch Blvd. ⚠️Currently EB traffic on Busch Blvd between 26th to 30th sts. are down to one lane. Please use alternate routes. ⚠️ #TampaBayTraffic https://x.com/i/status/2025939395291779131
— Tampa Fire Rescue (@TampaFireRescue) February 23, 2026
Fire response and traffic
Tampa Fire Rescue reported it was on scene at the Olive Garden on East Busch Boulevard, near the stretch between 26th and 30th streets. Crews remained in the area as the department urged motorists to stay away, noting that eastbound lanes in that block had been reduced to a single lane and asking drivers to use alternate routes.
According to the initial update, eastbound traffic between 26th and 30th streets was funneled into one lane while firefighters worked the scene. Other local agencies had not posted additional information at the time of that message.
Location and local context
The Olive Garden sits along a busy commercial strip just down the road from Busch Gardens, at 2801 E. Busch Blvd. Olive Garden's location page and MapQuest both list the Tampa restaurant at that address. The stretch of Busch between 26th and 30th is known for heavy traffic and can back up quickly when lanes are restricted.
What we know and what's next
In its initial post, Tampa Fire Rescue did not release information on the cause of the fire, possible injuries, or the extent of any damage. Those details typically come later as crews wrap up operations and investigators begin their work.
Officials usually share follow-up information on their X feed and through municipal channels as updates become available. Drivers in the area should plan for lingering delays until firefighters clear the scene and all eastbound lanes on Busch Boulevard fully reopen.
