The cause of a fire that heavily damaged a restaurant under construction in Brewer was determined to be accidental, according to Brewer Public Safety Director Jason Moffitt.
The fire started late Friday afternoon at 95 South Main St. by construction workers at the future home of Whiskey River Smokehouse, Moffitt said Saturday morning.
No one was injured.
A steady stream of cars on Saturday morning pulled into the parking lot of Save A Lot next door so drivers could check out damage. Metal ductwork protruded from the burned out roof. The shell of the building remained.
Efforts to reach owner Thomas Shanos were unsuccessful Saturday morning. Shanos, who also co-owns Kostas Restaurant & Bar and High Tide Restaurant in Brewer, announced in early October on Facebook that he planned to open a barbecue restaurant in the former B&L Auto Parts store.
Shanos had planned to open Whiskey River Smokehouse late this year or early next year.
Firefighters from Brewer, Bangor, Holden, Orrington and Eddington responded. The blaze shot up through the roof of the building, with flames visible from the Bangor Waterfront.
South Main Street, also known as Route 15, was shut down for much of the evening commute.
This story appears through a media sharing agreement with Bangor Daily News.
