A local restauranteur has expressed hope for a full recovery following a fire at his premises this morning.
The Fire Service were called to the blaze at Taquitos Mexican restaurant on the Andersonstown Road shortly before 11am. No one was injured during the incident.
Restaurant owner and chef, Gary Quinn, told how the spontaneous combustion of recently-washed tea towels caused extensive damage to his back kitchen.
The accidental ignition - a common cause of fires in restaurants - occurs due to a combination of heat and oxygenating chemicals from stain removing detergent products, which can cause towels to smoulder and catch fire.
Gary Quinn assesses the damage to his restaurant
Despite the setback, Gary vowed to re-open in the weeks ahead.
"It's bad but it's fixable - give us a couple of weeks and we'll be back operating," he said.
"I'm all about positivity, so I'm hoping to be back open in a few weeks. If you want me not to open a restaurant you'd have to kill me."
While the Andersonstown restaurant is closed, Taquitos food truck at the "Big Fish", Donegal Quay, remains open for anyone in need of a taco fix.
"Get down to the big fish - the sun is shining," Gary added.
