Fire devastates beloved southwest Detroit taqueria — and its many fans

Taqueria El Rey, a popular Mexican restaurant in southwest Detroit, was severely damaged in a fire Saturday morning.

Firefighters were dispatched just after 10:30 a.m. to the restaurant on Vernor Highway, Detroit Deputy Fire Commissioner Dave Fornell said. When they arrived, there was heavy fire in a grill area. That's where the fire appears to have started.

The fire will be ruled accidental, but the cause remained under investigation, Fornell said Sunday morning. No injuries were reported.

A video posted to the @BacktoDetroit Twitter account captured firefighters bringing water hoses into the building as smoke billowed from the sides and back of the popular taco spot.

Daniel Fuentes, son of owner Eliseo Fuentes and the restaurant manager, said he received a call from an employee that a fire started in the grill shack next to the restaurant building. He said he hoped the fire stayed on the grills, similar to the small grill fires the restaurant has dealt with in the past.

Once Fuentes got the all clear from firefighters, he saw how extensive the damage was. The grill shack, dining area and back counter area were destroyed, and the ceiling of the restaurant had collapsed. Fuentes said water and debris were everywhere.

"I was devastated," Fuentes said. "Once I saw everybody was fine, I was just trying to kind of think of how we're going to move forward."

Fuentes said he expects to have more information in the coming days. A person from the insurance company will likely be at the scene Monday, he said.

“We haven’t really planned on what to do next,” Fuentes said.

Videos of the fire on Twitter prompted sadness from fans of Taqueria El Rey, which has been a staple of the Detroit food scene for more than 20 years.

Andy Isaac, a Troy resident and longtime customer, said on Twitter it was the grilled chicken that made Taqueria El Rey stand out from other Mexican restaurants in the area.

"I could never put my finger on it, but they use something citrus-y in their blend," Isaac said. "I've introduced hundreds of people to El Rey's chicken and they're never disappointed."

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Many have posted messages on social media asking how to support or donate to the restaurant and its owners.

Fuentes said he's working through the next steps with the rest of his family while his father is in Mexico.

"I was just grateful that we had a lot of our employees show up, even the ones that weren't scheduled to work that day," Fuentes said. "And a lot of my family members, cousins, uncle, they all showed up to help us handle the situation, so that made it a little easier."

Free Press reporter Elisha Anderson contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Fire strikes beloved southwest Detroit taqueria, devastates eatery's fans