A fire early Sunday heavily damaged Rockin’ Y’s Roadhouse on Route 66 in Tucumcari, New Mexico, and the restaurant will remain closed indefinitely while the owners and insurance adjusters assess the situation this week.
Co-owner Yvette Peacock posted on Facebook on Sunday morning:
At 2am, we got a call that will forever change our lives. Rockin’ Ys’ Roadhouse has burned. We ask that you keep our family, and all of our employees, in your prayers. We are so very thankful for all of the emergency crews, and thank each and every one of you, not only for putting your lives on the line, but also for your hugs and kind words. You touched our hearts. Lord, we ask for your guidance. Please keep us in your prayers.
In another Facebook post Sunday night, Peacock said the state fire inspector ruled the fire in Rockin’ Y’s Roadhouse began accidentally by spontaneous combustion.
He said that the fire started in the bin where we throw our dirty towels. The grease in the towels got hot, started the fire and it was gone. The kitchen is totally gutted and there is excessive smoke and water damage in the dining rooms. We will wait for the insurance adjustors to determine if we rebuild or bulldoze it. In the meantime, our lives will go on. We will shift a few employees around, but we will have to lay off 15 or so people and pray they will find jobs soon. Thank you for your continued prayers and POSITIVE thoughts through a very trying time for all of our people.
The post also contained two photos of the charred remains of the kitchen.
A photo posted on the Tucumcari and Quay County Then and Now page on Facebook showed a photo of the restaurant after the fire. Damage wasn’t obvious from the exterior except for a boarded-up front door.
Peacock had announced in August that Rockin’ Y’s Roadhouse was for sale because she and co-owner Yvonne Braziel wanted to retire. The sisters also co-own Del’s Restaurant and Kix on 66 in Tucumcari.
I am sorry to see this. Tucumcari and her business folks are a super destination.