LINCOLN CITY, Ore. — A popular smokehouse and restaurant on the Oregon Coast are both shut down for now after a fire tore through the building they share.
The fire broke out early Tuesday morning at Mr. Bill's Village Smokehouse and Dory Cove restaurant on Highway 101 in Lincoln City. Both businesses are housed in the same building and co-owned by Dave Sleeman and his son, Daniel. Bill Enis owns the property.
Daniel Sleeman shared video from inside the smokehouse. He said the fire appears to have started at an electrical outlet there and spread.
Sleeman said the building can be saved. Still, there was a lot of fire, smoke and water damage to the businesses, which are loved by locals and tourists alike.
But according to Sleeman, it could have been much worse if a good Samaritan hadn’t stepped up at 2 a.m. Tuesday morning, after seeing the fire. He said the man was able to tame the fire before North Lincoln Fire & Rescue crews arrived and got it completely extinguished.
“Where the gentleman kicked those glass doors in to the smokehouse and grabbed that hose and hit that fire is why I believe it's still standing to this day, because the timing on that, that's just the grace of God right there,” said Sleeman.
It will take time to recover, and about 30 employees will be out of work during the busy season. A community member set up a GoFundMe to help, and Sleeman said 100% of the fundraising will go directly to affected employees.
“What it comes down to for me is being grateful and humble and working in a community that supports each other," he said, "and that's definitely what I've experienced in this havoc of, you know, a disaster.”