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Fire at Franklin BBQ?

SciAggie
SciAggie Posts: 6,481
in EggHead Forum
Saw an Instagram post about a fire at Franklin BBQ this morning. Anyone know anything about that?
Coleman, Texas
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                      YukonRon
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Comments

  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/texas/article/Austin-s-Franklin-BBQ-suffers-massive-fire-early-11969255.php
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
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  • Wolfpack
    Wolfpack Posts: 3,551
    Looks pretty bad from the video- can't tell exactly but isn't that the pit area?
    Greensboro, NC
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  • Hairless_Hand
    Hairless_Hand Posts: 214
    Dang. That's some bad news. 
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  • dmchicago
    dmchicago Posts: 4,516
    Philly - Kansas City - Houston - Cincinnati - Dallas - Houston - Memphis - Austin - Chicago - Austin

    Large BGE. OONI 16, TOTO Washlet S550e (Now with enhanced Motherly Hugs!)

    "If I wanted my balls washed, I'd go to the golf course!"
    Dennis - Austin,TX
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,937
    When it rains it pours
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,320
    Definitely some serious damage right there.  As above, it looks like the pit area and he stores the post oak under that section of the building.  Not sure what if anything can be salvaged given the apparent extent of the flames.  Dark day for BBQ.  
    At least no one is reported injured.  
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
    This is cause to set up a prayer meeting. 
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,937
    I'm sure he'll repair and rebuild quickly, but.... damn.
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,025
    This just shows you how fire doesn't discriminate. I hate these types of reminders. I'm glad no one was hurt. It's easy to forget how real playing with fire can be. Wishing him and his business a speedy recovery 
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,958
    Oh man. That sucks
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,958
    "Pit area pretty much destroyed" but the restaurant is fine. Dang
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,168
    Moving forward, I bet it's going to be more difficult to get permits to open up a BBQ restaurant in the tightly congested residential area. 
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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
    I read that Aaron offered up all of the briskets that were cooked and OK to the Austin Fire Firefighters that were on site to save the restaurant.
    They had to regretfully decline due to the city policy of not able to accept gifts. Was about 100 Briskets.
    That said if Aaron is not cooking 100+ Creekstone Farms Black Angus Brisket, every day he is shut down, do you think Creekstone may have a sale coming up?
    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    edited August 2017
    Then he should SELL the brisket to the AFD guys. $0.50 per lb

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • XC242
    XC242 Posts: 1,208
    Carolina Q said:
    Then he should SELL the brisket to the AFD guys. $0.50 per lb
    When you're a public sector employee 0.50 per pound doesn't work either. Ethics rules see right through that one...
    LBGE (still waitin' for my free T-Shirt), DIgiQ DX2 (In Blue, cause it's the fastest), Heavy Duty Kick Ash Basket, Mc Farland, WI. :glasses:  B)
    If it wasn't for my BGE I'd have no use for my backyard...
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,937
    Something tells me Aaron will figure out a way to say the proper thanks to the AFD.
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Yeah, I understand the concept. In cases like this, I think it's going overboard. I hope Aaron at least gives it to homeless folks if he can't give it ti the AFD. And that AFD knows that he tried!

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Austin Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
    AFD have ruled the fire and accident.  The spokesman said that fire cause by ember(s) carried by the wind.  For the last 10 years, I have been paranoid about setting the hood on fire and overly cautious using my large egg.  The new house the large will pose no such problems.  (No 80 acres of recharge zone dry grasses less than 10 feet from the large)
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,320
    @Austin Egghead - If I read it right, the fire was caused by the place getting hit by embers originating from elsewhere, carried downwind to Franklins and then away it went??  Not that the local news stations had anything else to focus on (just kidding) but if that's the case I'm sure the insurance company would like to go upwind for awhile to see if there are any obvious sources.  
    Would expect the building code to require a robust sprinkler system in place so if the fire started on the roof (the wayward embers) then it could really get rolling before getting to any internal sprinkler heads.  Just speculating and like opinions...  
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,958
    lousubcap said:
    @Austin Egghead - If I read it right, the fire was caused by the place getting hit by embers originating from elsewhere, carried downwind to Franklins and then away it went??  Not that the local news stations had anything else to focus on (just kidding) but if that's the case I'm sure the insurance company would like to go upwind for awhile to see if there are any obvious sources.  
    Would expect the building code to require a robust sprinkler system in place so if the fire started on the roof (the wayward embers) then it could really get rolling before getting to any internal sprinkler heads.  Just speculating and like opinions...  
    I did not read that but I find it hard to believe that a place that runs 6 huge live-fire pits 6 days a week, 300 days a year and produces hundreds of gallons of flammable grease within feet of those live fires had a million to one ember float through the screened in building and light the place up. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,320
    With the embers deal, the fire must have started outside the building (roof) or as I mentioned, the sprinkler system would have gotten going before the fire had such a head-start.  And the solo employee likely would have figured out something sooner-but all speculation and I'm not a fan of Monday morning quarterbacking so I will stop now.  
    A friggin tragedy however it happened.  
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
    edited August 2017
    If the image posted represents the fire at Franklin's, does it not, at least, appear that the fire is beneath the roof, and not on the roof?
    I am not an expert. Just asking. I kind of see  the point made by @Cen-TexSmoker on this one.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,320
    Below is excerpted from AmazingRibs.com Monday email blast:

    "Austin, TX – An early morning fire Saturday caused by an ember from a barbecue pit destroyed the wood-framed smokehouse at legendary Franklin Barbecue causing owner Aaron Franklin to temporarily close the restaurant. “We hopefully can reopen in a couple of weeks, but luckily most of the damage was to the smokehouse, sparing the kitchen and dining room,” Franklin said.

    “Wind just kind of swept through the smokehouse a lot more than we’re used to and carried an ember from a cooker and caught a wall on fire,” he shared.
    Fire Department officials said the fire was an accident caused by the wind-blown ember igniting surrounding combustible materials. The fire completely destroyed the smokehouse and caused part of the roof to cave in, while the kitchen and dining room only suffered smoke damage.

    “If there was a part of the building that’s easiest to rebuild, that was the one,” Franklin said. “It’s not the end of the world.”

    An Instagram posting from Franklin praised the fire department. 

    “Much love to the Austin fire department for helping us save the restaurant today. The fire destroyed the smokehouse but we plan to rebuild and reopen asap. We are happy to report that everyone is safe and we feel all the love from your texts, emails and comments.” "



    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Estimated repair cost, $350000, which in restaurant terms doesn't seem like all that much. Makes me wonder what the insurance clauses for operations that have indoor pits must be like. Hopefully the temporary cash flow crunch doesn't make things worse.
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  • SmyrnaGA
    SmyrnaGA Posts: 438
    I wonder if he could vacuum pack and freeze the cooked briskets, then sell it online.  I'm sure most of us would love to buy some.

    Large BGE, Small BGE, KJ Jr, and a Cracked Vision Kub.

    in Smyrna GA.


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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,168
    gdenby said:
    Estimated repair cost, $350000, which in restaurant terms doesn't seem like all that much. Makes me wonder what the insurance clauses for operations that have indoor pits must be like. Hopefully the temporary cash flow crunch doesn't make things worse.
    I'm surprised. That pit area wasn't much other than the cookers and surely those survived unscathed. 
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  • DaveRichardson
    DaveRichardson Posts: 2,324
    DoubleEgger said:
    gdenby said:
    Estimated repair cost, $350000, which in restaurant terms doesn't seem like all that much. Makes me wonder what the insurance clauses for operations that have indoor pits must be like. Hopefully the temporary cash flow crunch doesn't make things worse.
    I'm surprised. That pit area wasn't much other than the cookers and surely those survived unscathed. 

    Exactly correct..... the pits had to be craned into the new space.  But it was at least built well since nothing went thru the floor!

    LBGE #19 from North GA Eggfest, 2014

    Stockbridge, GA - just south of Atlanta where we are covered up in Zombies!  #TheWalkingDead films practically next door!

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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,750
    Hopefully everybody is safe, you can always rebuild
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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