TAMPA, Fla. — Company officials with Cody’s Original Roadhouse on West Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa said they plan to rebuild the restaurant destroyed by fire Thursday.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) responded to a major fire at Cody’s Original Roadhouse on West Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa early Thursday morning.

Restaurant officials released a statement, saying: 

"We're devastated to share that early this morning, Cody's Original Roadhouse in Tampa suffered a devastating fire. We extend our deepest gratitude to all the brave first responders who rushed to the scene and worked tirelessly to contain the fire.

For the safety of our community and until further notice, we will be closed. We appreciate your understanding during this difficult time. Please stay tuned for updates as we navigate through this challenging period together.

Thank you for your continued support and kindness. Our thoughts are with our franchise partner and all team members. We remain committed to our brand and our community. Together, we will rebuild and come back bigger and better than before."

PREVIOUS STORY ON THE FIRE

Dispatchers received the call around 5:15 a.m. that the restaurant was on fire, according to authorities. This was a multiple alarm response early this morning by Hillsborough fire rescue.

Arriving crews found the structure fully engulfed in flames.

Crews attempted an interior attack, but conditions worsened, so they pivoted to a defensive attack, utilizing elevated water streams from truck companies, authorities said.

There were no injuries, HCFR said, and the fire investigations unit is currently on the scene and has started the investigation.

The restaurant sustained major damage and is likely a total loss.

The investigation is just getting underway as it took firefighters well over an hour to knock the flames down.

According to officials, the fire appears to have started on the west side of the building where the front door is. It quickly spread, collapsing the west wall and the entire roof and only the outer shell of the restaurant remains.  

Later during the morning, a steady stream of old customers began arriving, shocked to see Cody’s burned down and sharing stories of the time they spent here.

This is a developing story. Follow Spectrum Bay News 9 on air, online, and with our app for the latest updates.