Stecoah – Some 12 hours after a fire drew the attention of a small Graham County community, smoke still lingered in the valley.
Stecoah Diner – formerly known as Tooties Cafe at the intersection of U.S. 28 North and Lower Stecoah Road – burned Monday night, the victim of a blaze that Stecoah Fire Chief Lynn Cody said Tuesday morning is believed to have started in the kitchen.
The initial call about a fire at the restaurant came in to 911 Dispatch shortly after 9:30 p.m. By 10 p.m., personnel from the Stecoah, Robbinsville, Snowbird and Santeetlah volunteer fire departments in Graham County were on site to combat the blaze.
Assistance also arrived from the Alarka, Bryson City and West Swain fire departments throughout the night.
“You all will never know what an impact Stecoah Diner had on the community. It will be missed,” read a message posted on the Stecoah Township Fire & Rescue Department Facebook page around 1 a.m. Tuesday.
The structure was deemed a total loss. An investigation is ongoing, and no further details about what exactly caused the fire were available by press time Wednesday.