Well-known Farmersville restaurant La Mejor burns in early morning fire

FARMERSVILLE, Calif. (KFSN) -- "It's gone," said Efren Garcia.

La Mejor is much than conscionable a edifice for Efren Garcia.

"I really had my wedding reception present backmost successful '97," said Garcia.

It's a portion of his household and identity. He says for arsenic agelong arsenic helium tin remember, helium would travel to get authentic tortillas, tamales and each things helium was presently craving.

"Couple pounds of Carnitas, and everybody shares them with caller tortillas oregon tomatillo," said Garcia. "I was virtually going to travel retired to drawback immoderate today."

But aboriginal Saturday morning, a portion of his puerility went up successful flames.

"It's bittersweet to spot this hap -- we did everything we could to sound it down. We knocked it down beauteous quick," said Farmersville Fire Department Battalion Chief, Jim Thomas.

There is harm wrong the gathering and outside; the full patio country is present lone near with char and rubble.

"This was a abstraction wherever radical could conscionable eat, unbend and bask the upwind portion besides enjoying the food," said Rafael Vasquez, the owner's grandson.

Rafael Vasquez's grandparents owned La Mejor, a spot that's been determination since childhood, and it was his archetypal job.

"It's precise devastating," said Vasquez.

He lives conscionable adjacent doorway and was determination erstwhile the occurrence broke out.

"It was a rude awakening with my dog, conscionable benignant of causing a stir," said Vasquez.

Vasquez says successful 2020 and 2021, his grandparents passed away, and they were capable to support their memories live - until now.

"We had this spiritual mural dedicated to them, wherever radical could travel and commune if they wanted to and wage their respects to my precocious grandparents arsenic well," said Vasquez.

For Garcia, helium remembers seeing the owners arsenic helium grew up and was grateful to beryllium capable to grant them aft they passed.

"It's bittersweet that the shrine is gone, on with the hard work," said Garcia.

While the origin of the occurrence is inactive unknown, Vasquez is grateful for the community's enactment frankincense far.

"We admit the support, and we anticipation and commune that we person different accidental successful the future," said Vasquez.

It's thing Garcia is hoping and praying for, too.

"Hopefully, they rebuild and travel backmost amended than ever," said Garcia.

There is simply a GoFundMe to assistance employees affected by the fire.