A popular Independence barbecue restaurant was destroyed by an early morning fire Monday.
Officials told television station KCTV that the fire started in the kitchen of Gates Bar-B-Q around 1 a.m.
Firefighters were affected by the cold weather and water pressure as they tried to contain the fire.
"We had several problems tonight with water pressure," Independence Battalion Chief Mike Ditamor said. "We had to actually go a block north and breach a fence to establish a second hydrant, so we could get enough supply to get a handle on it."
A cook who was at the restaurant to to do cleaning escaped unharmed.
"It was a duct fire," owner George Gates said. "It got hot and it started burning the roof and the rest is history."
