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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Newly released video shows the moment an innocent celebration at a Tampa tiki restaurant sparked a devastating fire within minutes.
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue released footage Tuesday morning that shows workers preparing bottles with sparklers shortly before 11 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, at Mamajuana Cafe on Anderson Road.
Video shows employees “innocently using the sparklers.” However, as one employee extended the sparkler over her head, she unintentionally lit the thatch roof of the tiki hut on fire.
A few seconds later, chaos ensues as workers try to put out the fire using a hose, and customers flee the building. According to HCFR, the employees could not contain the fire due to its “rapid growth.”
HCFR said the fire took 25 minutes to put out, and no injuries were reported.
Mamajuana Cafe is a “unique dining experience with deeply rooted traditions dating back centuries brought back to life for the 21st-century diner by our chefs, a pioneer of Nuevo Latino Cuisine,” the restaurant’s website read.
The restaurant will be closed this weekend due to the damage, according to a Facebook post. However, Mamajuana Cafe is working with TECO and the Hillsborough Building Department to reopen next week.
Authorities told WFLA that they do not anticipate any charges.
