Popular Mexican restaurant goes up in flames, now considered 'total loss'

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — A popular Hall County Mexican restaurant is a complete loss after an morning fire ripped through the building.

Around 7:30 a.m., News Chopper 2 was over the scene of El Sombrero Mexican restaurant engulfed in flames. The restaurant is located on Browns Bridge Road.

Officials said someone passing by the restaurant around 5:30 a.m. called 911, advising that the roof was on fire. Officials also said the structure "will be a total loss."

The popular restaurant has been in Hall County for at least 20 years.

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“Pretty much every time I go take my car to the service, I just go up there and eat while they do the service car, but not this time, it’s all gone,” said frequent customer Daniel Verde.

“Once you get in there doing your firefighter operations and start getting wet, it makes it worse trying to get our guys warm. We swap them out,” said Gainesville Fire Division Chief Keith Smith. “A 55 gallon drum of coffee might be good.”

All lanes were blocked near Spring Road as crews work to put out the fire.

Cox Media Group