MYRTLE BEACH (WBTW) – A Myrtle Beach restaurant was destroyed by an early morning fire Wednesday, and officials are now saying that blaze is “suspicious.” Police distributed photos of a person of interest in the case Monday afternoon.
Horry County Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying the man caught on surveillance video wanted as a person of interest in the possible arson of Big D’s Bar-B-Que Barn restaurant last week.
According to Horry County Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Justin Gibbins, 40 firefighters from Myrtle Beach and Horry County responded to the scene of a fire at Big D’s Bar-B-Que Barn, located at 350 George Bishop Pkwy in Myrtle Beach, around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.
A press release from Lt. Raul Denis with Horry County Police states an Horry County Fire Rescue arson investigator, after examining the fire, deemed it suspicious. Horry County Police is investigating this case as a possible arson at this time.
The emergency call came in to dispatch after an Horry County Police officer noticed the flames. The fire shut down George Bishop Parkway, near Highway 17 and Highway 501 until 6:45 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Assistant Chief Gibbins says when crews arrived, the fire had already progressed through the attic space. The fire then broke through the roof.
PHOTO GALLERY: View pictures from the scene of the fire
No one was in the building at the time of the fire, adds Gibbins.
John Russell Davis, owner of Big D’s Bar-B-Que Barn, says the fire will take a toll on his income.
“It’s sad,” Davis says. “Luckily, I’m blessed to have another restaurant in Conway, so I do have income coming in. [But], this will be a loss.”
Anyone with information related to this fire is asked to contact Horry County Police at 843-915-8477.
