Fire damages Wadley restaurant

Volunteer firefighters from Wadley, Abanda, Dickert and Corinth responded Monday to a fire at Bonnie’s Country Kitchen, 325 Main Street, Wadley. The 911 call came from a citizen who saw smoke at 5:39 p.m.

EMA director/Corinth VFD member Donnie Knight said the fire started in an upstairs office. He said there was much smoke upstairs, and the water used to put it out caused water damage below.

Wadley Fire Chief Dale Knight said it’s unclear what started the fire, which was contained to the small office. The office and its contents are a total loss. Dale said the water damage is minimal, but there is a good deal of smoke and heat damage. He said the owner, Bonnie Wilkinson, had been gone only 10-20 minutes when the smoke was spotted.

Two members of the Abanda Volunteer Fire Department chop into the attic to allow smoke to escape from a fire at Bonnie’s Country Kitchen in downtown Wadley Monday evening. /John W. Stevenson