Neighbors react after fire destroys restaurant at Buckroe Shopping Center

HAMPTON, Va. - Hampton firefighters are working to figure out what exactly sparked a large fire at a restaurant in the Pembroke and Old Buckroe area Wednesday afternoon.

News 3

Crews responded to a two-alarm fire at Anna's Pizza at the Buckroe Shopping Center just after 4 p.m. Wednesday.

No one was injured.

The owner of MD Hair Salon who did not want to be identified told News 3 that she is worried about damage to her store as well. She said she could feel an explosion near her salon.

"At first, I thought it was like an active shooting," she said. "I locked the door, and the lady was like, 'No, come out. Come out."

"I went to look, [and] I realized it was like heavy smoke, very dark," she added. "I don’t know what started, but we were here to see the explosion, a heavy fire, and the fire progressed rapidly."

News 3

Firefighters said it took about an hour to put out the fire, and it also impacted four surrounding businesses.

"We believe the establishment was closed," Battalion Chief Anthony Chittum with Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue. "There were no patrons inside when we arrived."

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Hampton firefighters told News 3 talking with business owners to get to the bottom of what sparked everything will be key. Thursday investigators sifted through the rubble trying to find out what caused the blaze.

"The whole roof system is gone on that particular building so that’s going to have to be redone," stated Battalion Chief Anthony Chittum Chief Deputy Fire Marshal with Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue.

Thursday, residents drove by shocked to see the damage. Pamela Johnson remembers when Anna's was built.

"Anna’s was the best. I just don’t know what they’re going to do. It’s terrible," Johnson said. "I hope they can rebuild."

Randy Bowman, the owner of Bowman's Soul-N-The-Wall restaurant stopped by offering jobs to those affected at Anna's and Hunan Garden Chinese Restaurant.