KOKOMO, Ind. -- The owner of a popular Kokomo restaurant that caught fire early Thursday morning said she plans to rebuild.
Firefighters were called to PASTArrific on South Webster Street around 3 a.m. The fire started on the east side of the building, but because of the heavy winds, it quickly spread. It took firefighters nearly 3 hours to get the flames out.
Vito Pulverenti shot video of the fire with a drone.
aftermath @KokomoScanner pic.twitter.com/7L89OfjCBA
— Vito Pulverenti (@vitopulverenti) March 2, 2017
here's a closer view of PASTAriffic! pic.twitter.com/ozktv3iFwm
— Vito Pulverenti (@vitopulverenti) March 2, 2017
The building was built in 1990, but the restaurant has been in business since the late 1980s.
"It's hard to put into words," said PASTArrific owner Cynthia Yazdani. "This was our dream, and we will dream again."
Chrissy Gordon has worked as a waitress at PASTArrific for 17 years and said the fire is devastating, but she will do everything she can to help get the business back up and running.
"I'm not going anywhere," said Gordon. "This is my job. This is what my kids know. I know everybody. We're like family. You can't leave family."
Yazdani said she plans to do everything she can to keep that family together.
"I had somebody who said I've got my mop and my bucket and I'm ready to go to work. I said hang on there. We've got some other things we gotta do first, but we'll see what we can do," said Yazdani.
The family also owns the Bel Air banquet hall across the street from the restaurant. Yazdani said some of her employees would be able to pick up shifts there until the restaurant is rebuilt.
Yazdani said she hopes to have the restaurant ready to reopen by October 1.
