TAMPA, Fla. — A new video shows the moment an innocent celebration at a Tampa restaurant led to a devastating fire within minutes.
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue shared footage Tuesday morning that shows staff preparing bottles with sparklers for some guests around 11 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at Mamajuana Cafe off Anderson Road near the Veterans Expressway.
After lighting the sparklers, one employee raises the lit bottle over their head before proceeding toward the customers. Moments later, a flame caught onto the thatch roof of the restaurant's tiki hut.
Less than 30 seconds after the fire started, the staff urgently directed everyone in the restaurant to evacuate. Meanwhile, another employee started to spray water at the flames with a hose. Dozens of people ran out of the building as the fire quickly spread from the tiki hut area to the rest of the restaurant.
Debris, still on fire, is seen on video falling to the floor as staff begins to abandon efforts to put the fire out and evacuate to a safer area.
Smoke took over the entire restaurant and cafe within minutes. The fire grew to take over the entire building, sending a plume of smoke high into the air, lit to an orange hue by the flames. A witness spotted the structure fire from the Veterans Expressway.
The fire took 25 minutes to put out, fire officials said. The restaurant staff was able to help get everyone to safety and no one was hurt.
Mamajuana Cafe is now closed as owner Miguel Guzman works to rebuild.
"You just want to have a mental breakdown at times, because you just don't know what to do," Guzman said.
Despite the devastation to his livelihood, he said he envisions coming out of this stronger. He hopes to elevate the space as a premier location for weddings, birthdays and celebrations someday.
"I need to just focus and try to get my business up and running, but I told her it was a mistake. It's an accident. It's not your fault," Guzman said.
Guzman opened the restaurant three years ago. He said it was a longtime goal to open a Latin American venue, where families could dance and enjoy a great ambiance after coming to the area eight years ago.
"I have a lot of staff that they depend on this to pay their rent, eat, everything," Guzman said. "We're just a family."
However, Guzman said he also has legal representation looking into the company which he said claimed to have helped fireproof the tiki hut. He added he has not taken any legal action yet.
Documents Guzman shared with 10 Tampa Bay show an invoice of $14,000 paid to the company that provided the fireproofing service. In addition, a certificate containing proof of fire inspection checks.
Guzman said he and his legal representation have not heard back from the company despite efforts to reach them.
Guzman said the power is already back at his restaurant is back on again. The work to remove the charred remains from the former tiki hut is expected to be completed on Wednesday.