Georgia Butts BBQ restaurant on Lake Oconee Parkway is closed this evening to clean up a smoky mess, but the restaurant will reopen tomorrow (Wednesday) at 11 a.m.
According to Putnam County Fire Chief Thomas McClain, the fire department received a call at 4:18 p.m. Tuesday regarding a fire at the popular barbecue restaurant on Lake Oconee. McClain said when the fire units arrived on scene, "they were met with heavy smoke, and were able to extinguish it with the water on the trucks."
"It was minor, very, very minor," he said of the fire. "It put out a lot of smoke, so it looked impressive, but it was easily extinguished."
McClain said the fire actually started inside the smoker while restaurant employees were in the process of smoking some barbecue. The fire never extended out of the smoker and into the building, he said.
No one was injured in the mishap, and they took advantage of the pun opportunities.
"We had some flames in the kitchen today, but that's just proof our BBQ can stand the heat!" the restaurant wrote on its social media post, followed by, "Flame tested, BBQ approved!"