A popular Oakland restaurant was vandalized on Sunday and on Tuesday morning, a fire gutted it.
The blaze is raising questions, because it happened less than a day after the owner posted his frustration about the vandalism on social media.
“I was completely shocked. I got a call from my employee saying, ‘are you sitting down?’ He said ‘the buildings on fire,’” said Matt Horn, the owner of Horn Barbecue.
He is now trying to find a way forward after fire ripped through his restaurant. The clean up is just beginning, with crews boarding up charred sections of the building.
It’s the second big blow to the much loved BBQ spot this week.
On Sunday, Horn's restaurant was vandalized. He even posted images of the damage on Instagram, blasting the vandals for attacking small businesses and restaurants throughout the city saying, “you are nothing more than the filth that plagues our beautiful city.”
Now, he is wondering if that post and Tuesday morning's fire are connected.
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“Is it a coincidence? I find it hard to believe all the sudden there’s a building that goes up after an article goes out. I’m sick and tired of what we’re doing a small business owners,” said Horn.
The Oakland Fire Department is now investigating.
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“We’re looking at surveillance footage,” said Michael Hunt of the fire department.
Horn says the damage is extensive and the building's been red tagged, meaning he'll need to tear it down and rebuild. But at the moment, he's focused on finding a way to keep the doors open.
Right now he is using outdoor smokers to fulfill customers’ Thanksgiving orders.
After three years there, he says he wants to find a way to move forward.
Despite the fire, Horn says he is still committed to handing out turkeys Wednesday to local families in need.
