Texas French Bread, a popular Central Austin bakery operating for more than 40 years, was badly damaged in an overnight fire.
When the Austin Fire Department arrived to the bakery at 2900 Rio Grande St. around midnight, crews found fire shooting out of the roof. The fire department said Tuesday it determined the cause of the fire was accidental — a result of mechanical failure.
Photos show significant parts of the roof collapsed, along with parts of the building's façade. AFD said there was $1.1 million in damage to the structure and $500,000 in damage to the contents of the building.
A GoFundMe fundraising page has been started to help support the business' staff. "Their beloved staff got out safely, but the building that has been home to the family-owned bakery for decades is destroyed, along with everything inside," a description on the page reads. The fundraiser had hit $100,000 by Wednesday morning.
The bakery began operating in 1981. Before that, the building was home to the Rome Inn, an Italian restaurant and then a live music venue that played host to Austin icons like Stevie Ray Vaughan, as reported by the Austin Chronicle in this 2014 story.
Crews operating at a structure fire at 2900 Rio Grande (Texas French Bread Bakery). Fire venting from the roof on arrival. pic.twitter.com/fXroLqKzBw
— Austin Fire Info (@AustinFireInfo) January 25, 2022
