Lance Martin
Daily Herald Senior Staff Writer

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SCOTLAND NECK — One of Scotland Neck’s landmarks, the old Idle Hour Restaurant, and Luigi’s, one of its most popular restaurants, were destroyed by fire yesterday morning.

A third building, the old Nationwide Insurance building, on the northside of Luigi’s was also destroyed when the fire broke through Luigi’s wall burning the joists, town Volunteer Fire Department Chief Patrick Staton said.

The old Idle Hour building has been occupied by the patriotic organization Junior Order of United American Mechanics since 1998, said Gene Braddy of the organization.

While Braddy was surprised, he also expressed optimism. “We’ll get this going one way or another.”

Braddy said mostly office furniture burned and he was able to save the original 1919 charter of the organization in Scotland Neck, which supports a children’s home in Lexington and also helps local charities.

He said the downstairs of the building wasn’t damaged badly although the roof was gone. Inside water dripped from melting icicles formed when firefighters fought the morning blaze in 9-degree temperatures.

While Braddy was optimistic the downstairs portion of the building could be saved, Staton was not as optimistic. “The Junior Order is a total loss. Luigi’s is a total loss. The (old) Nationwide building is a total loss. There are three buildings that are a total loss.”

Two more buildings on Main Street near the totaled buildings sustained smoke damage, Staton said.

A Scotland Neck police officer spotted heavy smoke coming from Luigi’s shortly after 4:30 yesterday morning. When firefighters arrived there were no visible flames. When they opened the backdoor the flames started. “All it lacked was oxygen,” Staton said.

Three other fire departments came to aid Scotland Neck — Hobgood  and Enfield and Weldon brought their ladder trucks. Between battling the blaze and clean-up afterward, firefighters remained on the scene until 2:30 yesterday afternoon.

Staton said the fire department received assistance from the American Red Cross, which fed the 44 firefighters who battled the fire, while the state Department of Transportation kept traffic off Main Street with help from the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office and the town police department. The town’s water and electric departments also assisted.

Staton said firefighters do not believe the fire is suspicious but think it is probably a mechanical malfunction within the restaurant.

Staton was not sure how much damages were. Scotland Neck Police Chief Joe Williams estimated damages were probably more than $200,000.

Many people rode down Main Street yesterday afternoon, craning their necks from their vehicles to look at the damage.

Jessica Pippen, a former waitress at Luigi’s for three years, stood along the sidewalk and curb taking photos of the buildings.

“It was one of the only sit-down places around here,” she said. “They did new construction to make improvements.”

Even though she has been gone from the restaurant for about a year, it stills holds a special place in her heart. “I’m concerned about the people who are still working here,” she said.