No foul play is suspected in a fire that ignited at Gustavo’s Mexican Restaurant and Bar on April 17, according to reports from the Cortez Fire Department and Cortez Police Department.
The fire broke out at the restaurant, 125 E. Main St., in the middle of the day. Police responded to the scene around 2:35 p.m., and the scene was cleared at 5:16 p.m. No injuries were reported, though there was some damage to the bar and restaurant, as well as to a shed and alley. According to reports, restaurant employees were on a break at the start of the fire.
When police arrived, they were met by heavy smoke from the fire, which originated in or near a red shed at the back of the building. Though the fire spread through the restaurant’s attic, it was contained by firefighters before spreading very far.
The shed is used to store kitchen equipment and dishes. It was unlocked at the time the fire started, as Gustavo Luquin, the owner of Gustavo’s, had recently removed his motorcycle from the shed to go to the gym, according to reports.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud pop or boom before flames were visible. A test for accelerants returned negative.
Because cleanup efforts began before a state fire investigator could respond, the investigator canceled their visit. The Cortez Fire Department’s report, however, found no suspicious circumstances into the fire, and police closed the investigation.
