Photo: New Smyrna Beach Fire Department
A Florida restaurant featured in an upcoming Brad Pitt movie caught on fire Sunday night (March 17), according to FOX 35 Orlando. The New Smyrna Beach Fire Department said crews responded to Pappas Drive-In & Family Restaurant on North Dixie Highway just after midnight.
Firefighters found smoke pouring out of the attic after they arrived on the scene. New Smyrna Beach Fire Lieutenant Adam Sarwi confirmed the fire originated in the attic, per the news station. After several hours, crews were able to extinguish the flames. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. No injuries were reported.
FOX 35 said the historic restaurant, known for its burgers and fried chicken, is set to appear in a Brad Pitt film about Formula 1 racing. The Hollywood icon was spotted in the area back in January during filming. The movie is scheduled for a cinematic release before hitting the Apple+ streaming platform, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Sarwi lamented the potential loss of Pappas, which has been around since 1970.
"It's a neighborhood staple. The New Smyrna Beach area, everybody knows Pappas Drive-In restaurant. It's a common place for everybody to come around and hang out," Sarwi told reporters. "Has a lot of history to it. One of the oldest drive-in restaurants around… And that movie that was just filmed here a couple weeks ago, a couple months ago, and so a lot of history here, so it's gonna be a lot of broken hearts for missing a neighborhood staple."