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Electrical fire destroys inside of downtown Brooksville restaurant

Posted at 4:07 PM, May 07, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-07 20:07:25-04

BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — The inside of a well-known Brooksville restaurant was destroyed by an electrical fire that started behind a cooler after business hours on Saturday.

"It shot this way, it shot that way, and because that’s wood it just fed the fire," said Rory Steele, owner of Little Lady Cafe.  

The building that’s been a restaurant staple in downtown Brooksville for 65 years looks untouched from the outside, but the inside is a different story. 

"I couldn’t stomach it. It was too much for me," said Steele.

Steele says her saving grace is the hundreds of people from the community who have reached out to give support to her and her employees.

"This community has backed her so well, that it won’t be long before you’re coming back here for lunch," said Erin Carter-Harvey, Steele's sister.

Just like the first dollar bill that still clings to the soot-covered wall by just a corner, Steele refuses to give up.

"It's a tough pill to swallow but we’ll rebuild, we’ll rebuild," said Steele.