NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Fire Department is on the scene of a 2-alarm fire at a popular New Orleans fried chicken restaurant.
A video sent to WWLTV by Vito Maggiolo shows firefighters on the scene as they work to extinguish the fire at Willie Mae’s Scotch House Restaurant on St. Ann Street.
NOFD spokesperson Gregory Davis says the initial call for service came in at 3:06 a.m. While the cause of the fire is under investigation, the fire department says the fire appears to have started at the back of Willie Mae’s, at an electrical panel, then spread to the attic. There were no injuries reported.
Established in 1957 in the historic Treme neighborhood, Willie Mae’s became a local favorite for New Orleanians and visitors who enjoyed the Mississippi and Louisiana soul food the kitchen cooked up.
That love of local cuisine led owner, Ms. Willie Mae Seaton, to be honored with the prestigious James Beard Award for “America’s Classic Restaurant for the Southern Region in 2005.
Soon after winning the award Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city and did considerable damage to the restaurant but it reopened two years later.
Since then, the restaurant has moved on to gain recognition from the Food Network and the Travel Channel as “America’s Best Fried Chicken.” Today, Kerry Seaton Stewart, Ms. Willie Mae’s great-granddaughter now runs the operation.
Members of the community spoke to WWL-TV on their thoughts.
"Before the tourists got introduced this was a place community people frequent and still do but now we’re fighting with the tourists to get in here because it’s such an attraction, it’s such a staple and we’re happy for them. It’s really a big deal because there's no other Willie Mae's," Rhonda Ford, a frequent Willie Mae's customer said.
"Anytime you look at restaurants and top tens or whatever in New Orleans, you always see Willie Mae's it’s famous," Greta Kane, a tourist said.
"I’m sorry to see the damage but they’ll rebuild just like they did after Katrina and I'm sure it'll be bigger and better," neighbor Don Boucree said.
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