Fire Causes 'Total' Damage at Lillie's Q in Chicago

Lillie's Q, a three-year-old barbecue restaurant in Chicago, had a fire last night that caused "total" damage. According to the Chicago Tribune's Kevin Pang, officials suspect the fire originated in a water heater and not in one the restaurant's smokers. Apartments above the restaurant were also damaged, but luckily only one person was hurt, a firefighter who walked away with "minor" injuries.

Lillie's Q and its recently opened second location in Chicago's French Market are both closed indefinitely, as the original location supplies smoked meats to both. On their Facebook page, the restaurant vows "We'll be back somewhere, somehow, and someway." Below, the full Lillie's Q statement and a video of the effort to put out the blaze.

Here's a statement from Lillie's Q, via Facebook:

We come to all of you with heavy hearts this morning. Last night after our Bucktown restaurant closed, a fire broke out down in our basement. The fire started from a hot water heater down in the basement. There's been significant fire damage to the restaurant and to the apartments upstairs. Thankfully nobody was injured in the restaurant or in the apartments upstairs. Our Bucktown location and our Chicago French Market location are closed indefinitely. We're so grateful for all the outpouring of support from everyone. We'll be back somewhere, somehow, and someway.

Video: Fire at Lillie's Q

· Fire Overnight Scorches Lillie's Q Restaurant in Bucktown [Chicago Tribune]
· Lillie's Q [Facebook]
· All Fire Coverage on Eater [-E-]