Popular Tazewell County eatery burns

BY JIM TALBERT\Staff
POUNDING MILL – For the second time in less than 10 years fire has damaged one of the county’s tourist attractions.
Cuz’s Uptown Barbecue was gutted by a fire that started around 5 p.m. Oct. 5. Richlands was the first of six fire departments to respond to the call.  Fire Chief Keith Reynolds said his department was paged out at 4:55 p.m. and arrived to find the building engulfed in smoke.
He said the restaurant was closed but a cleaning crew had been on hand earlier in the day. Firefighters made forced entry to the building and located the source of the blaze between the kitchen and dining room.
Reynolds said the smoke was heavy and the fact the building had been renovated and added to several times made it tough going. Before the blaze was put down there were 50 firefighters and 10 trucks involved in the battle.
Reynolds said his department received assistance from the Tazewell County, Tazewell Town, Thompson Valley, Baptist Valley and Belfast fire departments. The Richlands Rescue unit was on stand by but was not needed.
The Virginia state police blocked traffic on east bound 19-460 near Pounding Mill Quarry for more than three hours allowing only tractor trailers and fire trucks through. Traffic was rerouted onto Pounding Mill Branch.
Spectators parked along the highway to watch the fire and many took pictures with cell phones and cameras. The fire departments set up a water transfer unit at the scene and pumped water between trucks to battle the blaze.
Reynolds did not give a dollar figure on damage to the structure but said the damage was extensive. He said the cause of the fire had not been determined Monday afternoon. Investigators from the Virginia State Police had been to the scene.
Reynolds said that was routine in large fires where the caue is not readily determined. Cuz’s sustained heavy damage from a fire in 2000 but owners Mike and Yvonne Thompson rebuilt and reopened.
Reynolds said he wished to thank all of the departments that assisted his department with battling the blaze. He said the last Richlands unit left the scene at 12:45 a.m. Oct. 6.