Restaurant damaged in blaze

Loretta's Burrito Hut will be closed indefinitely after the Tucumcari restaurant sustained major damage from a fire early Saturday. The owner has vowed to rebuild.

Loretta Muller, owner of the Mexican restaurant at 321 E. Route 66 Blvd., said she was alerted about the fire shortly after midnight Saturday after it had been closed for hours. She said a patrolling police officer saw the flames and alerted firefighters.

The west side of the building showed fire damage, especially on the roof. But Muller said damage in the interior was severe, as well.

"The smoke damage, it's totaled," she said.

Photographs by her daughter, Crystal Shiplet, taken shortly after firefighters stopped the blaze also showed holes in the ceiling.

Muller said the cause of the fire was an electrical problem.

She and several of her 10 employees spent part of Saturday afternoon emptying the restaurant's refrigerators to ensure food didn't spoil.

She said she'd be on the phone Monday with her insurance agent to begin the rebuilding process.

Muller didn't hesitate when asked whether she'd reopen.

"Definitely," she said. "I didn't come this far and spend that much money to say, 'No, no more.' I love my own food too much to give up. Besides that, I'd go stir-crazy at home."

Muller said customers already have asked whether they could donate to a recovery fund for the restaurant. She said such an account probably would be set up this week at a local bank.

Loretta's Burrito Hut moved from her west-side location to the former Joe's Back in the Day Diner late this spring. She opened indoor dining there in late August, partly because she was lacking a range hood, though she prepared meals outdoors for customers for several weeks before.

Muller had leased the former Rubee's Diner building in late 2018 after occupying a food trailer for five years at a corner of Third Street. Before that, she sold burritos out of her car to blue-collar workers.

"We'll reopen as soon as possible," she said. "Just keep your prayers up."