Popular Slidell taco restaurant has ‘significant damage’ after fire burned through building

Firefighters in Slidell worked through the scorching afternoon heat Tuesday to bring a restaurant fire under control and prevent it from spreading to other businesses in a strip center along Gause Boulevard.

But while they had the fire under control in 26 minutes, it wasn’t enough to prevent the Las Morritas Taqueria and Bar from sustaining “significant damage,” a fire official said.

There were no injuries in the blaze that tore through Las Morritas, which news outlets reported had opened only eight months ago, said Jason Gaubert, a spokesperson for St. Tammany Parish Fire District No. 1. 

Restaurant workers interviewed by reporters outside the burning building said the blaze spread quickly. They described it as a family restaurant that had started to gain a following. 

On social media, word quickly spread about the fire. On the popular “What’s going on in Slidell” Facebook Group, users lamented the destruction and noted the restaurant had created a GoFundMe account to help it rebuild and reopen.

Gaubert said “the smoke and flames were through the roof” as firefighters responded 3 minutes after receiving the call shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Employees reported hearing a popping sound before the lights went out inside the restaurant at 1797 Gause Boulevard West. When they went outside, they discovered the fire and called 911, he said.

Gaubert said roofing work was being done at the time of the fire, but the work did not include any torches. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, he said.

The fire department responded with 40 firefighters and 20 units, Gaubert said.

Firefighters battled not only the flames in the building but the scorching afternoon temperatures.

“Firefighting is hard — it’s even harder in the heat,” he said.