First-ever Fresh Kitchen restaurant on South Howard deemed a total loss after fire

TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa Fire Rescue battled a fire at a Fresh Kitchen location in Tampa early Monday morning.

According to TFR, firefighters responded to a fire at a Fresh Kitchen restaurant that started just after 4:30 a.m. on South Howard Avenue.

READ: Frist-ever Taylor Swift-themed dinner cruise sets sail from Tampa

TFR Public Information Officer Vivian Shedd said firefighters initially tried to fight the fire inside the restaurant after seeing heavy flames and smoke on the roof, but upon seeing that the fire was growing and potentially unstable, they moved out and took on a defensive attack.

One SoHo resident described the scene.

"We were running on Bayshore, and when we got back we saw huge plumes of smoke," said Megan Callihan. "It's devastating. I'm so sorry for that."

No one was inside the restaurant when the fire broke out, she said.

"I'm glad no one was in there; they start cooking early. It's great that no one was in the building," said another nearby resident, Whitney Brewer. "I have friends that live down there, [and] the houses and businesses weren't affected at all; that's great.

Fresh Kitchen posted a statement to social media Monday morning, saying they were ‘absolutely heartbroken’ about the tragic fire.

"We are absolutely heartbroken to share that our Fresh Kitchen SoHo location caught fire early this AM. No team members or guests were in the building. We are extremely grateful that no one was injured. We’re still wrapping our head and hearts around this, and the center of our focus is making sure our teams feel supported during this difficult time.

Special thank you to the Tampa Fire Department, Tampa Police Department and EMS for responding so quickly and helping keep the fire contained and making sure everyone was safe.

Next month would have been 10 years for our little "House on Howard"… where it all started. So many moments shared and seeds planted for what Fresh Kitchen is today. SoHo will remain closed permanently, while we figure out a way to rebuild our iconic flagship. For all of our fans, please visit us at our Westshore location. Thank you to everyone for your concern, and for sharing love with us. SOHO Strong, forever."

For multiple hours, South Howard was closed in both directions to vehicle and pedestrian traffic between West Southview and Stroud Avenues. 

The South Howard location was the franchise's first-ever location, opening in 2014. Now, there are 14 locations across Florida and three set to open over the next two years.

According to Shedd, TFR was first notified of the fire by the Tampa Police Department, which was doing a patrol in the area early in the morning. 

This is a developing story. Check back for details.

SIGN UP: Click here to sign up for the FOX 13 daily newsletter