BOISE -- "We will rebuild." That statement comes from the owner of Barbacoa after an early morning fire destroyed his popular southeast Boise restaurant.
It was around 5:30 this morning that firefighters took a defensive position and pumped thousands of gallons of water on the flames.
Hours after the fire destroyed Barbacoa, the owner tried to lift his employees spirits from the ashes.
"It's not the end of the world," said Barbacoa's owner Robert Castoro. "We have good insurance and we will rebuild.”
Castoro said he made the decision to rebuild Barbocoa while firefighters were still fighting the flames.
At this point, investigators don't know what started the fire, but they did say they have found no evidence of foul play.
Firefighters were called to the fire minutes before 5 a.m. Saturday.
When they arrived, they say the roof was about to collapse, and there was nothing they could do but take a defensive position.
"We're going to take a step-by-step approach,” said Battalion Chief Steve Rasulo with the Boise Fire Department. “It is relatively
pretty close to a total loss on the building, and so we're not going to do any further damage. So we're going to ensure the safety of everybody here on scene."
As firefighters fought, Barbacoa employees could do nothing but watch their jobs and livelihood go up in smoke.
"This is one of a kind here in Boise,” said Ali Fairbrother, a hostess at Barbacoa. “And it's just so sad that over one night all of this is gone, all of the hard work that's been put into this place."
No one putting more work into it than its owner.
"Our first concern, Martine and I, is for your well being, as well as ours," said Castoro of himself and his wife.
During an emergency meeting, while firefighters fought the flames, Castoro told his 125 employees not to worry.
"Okay. We're all upset right now alright, but like I said, worse things happen,” Castoro said. “Nobody in this room is going to lose
their apartment, their condo, their home. Alright? We'll all get through this. There are means and there are ways.”
One way to make that happen is the company's $3,000 slush fund.
"She will disperse that to all of you who need it right now, and just like Jimmy Stewart in “It's a Wonderful Life,” there's money there, take what you need,” Castoro said. “Please take only what you need, okay? Think that there's 100 people behind you that are going to need help. I don't want anybody, anybody worrying okay?"
By the time of the meeting, Castoro had hired a general contractor, an architect and an interior designer. Castoro says the contractor agreed to hire his employees as subcontractors to rebuild.
"All of my friends who own restaurants here have offered their support as well, and the one thing I've asked them is please give me jobs," Castoro said.
But he's not letting his employees go completely. He plans on re-opening the restaurant this summer.
"We'll get through this, and it will be a great, great thing again," said Castoro.
Fire crews will be on scene all night making sure any hotspots do not flare back up.
Investigators say they will be back at work Sunday morning, and probably won't wrap things up until some time Monday.
