Mystery still surrounds the now charred remains of Valdosta’s historic Zaxby’s restaurant.

 On March 1, around 3 a.m., Remerton Fire Department firefighters were called to contain a fire that started in the kitchen of the Zaxby’s on Baytree Road, according to the Valdosta Daily Times. The fire completely consumed the back part of the building, destroying most of the restaurant.

 A special type of fire retardant foam was used to contain the blaze. The building was constructed of a type of old pine that made it difficult to keep the fire under control.

 No leads into the cause of the fire have been presented thus far.  The Remerton Fire Department is currently investigating the incident, according to the Remerton Police Department.
 The tragedy of the incident was doubled by the fact that the building was an important piece of Valdosta’s history. According to the Valdosta Daily Times, the building was once the management office of the Strickland Cotton Mill that was established in 1899.

 The mill shut down in 1979 and was eventually renovated into the current Zaxby’s restaurant.

 Students around campus were taken aback by the incident.  

 Some students were saddened by the loss of the historic landmark, while most were simply upset that their choices in fast food were now limited.

 “I think it was pretty weird that the Zaxby’s burned down,” Freshman Cody Partin said. “I’d really like to know the story behind what happened. But really for me it just limited my choices of food down to Macadoo’s.”