The cause of a fire that damaged Gadwall’s Grill in Sherwood early Thursday morning has been called an act of arson by Sherwood Fire Chief Frank Hill.
The fire has closed the restaurant indefinitely.
Entry to the structure was gained by breaking the glass through a side door. The fire was started behind the front counter near the cash register. Hill said the fire was started at approximately 3:45 a.m. Thursday with firefighters reaching the scene of the blaze by 4 a.m.
Hill added that though 90 percent of the structure can be rebuilt, structural integrity of the building had been compromised. An I-beam support that runs lengthwise across the ceiling of the restaurant had been warped.
Owners Neil and Karen Bryant were meeting with insurance adjustors Friday morning while managers and staff prepared to begin cleaning up the restaurant by afternoon.
The restaurant’s site sits in a pocket of Sherwood off of North Hills Blvd surrounded on three sides by the city of North Little Rock.
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