Two firefighters suffered burns after battling a fierce fire that destroyed a restaurant in the Flanders section of Mount Olive Tuesday morning.
According to a preliminary investigation, firefighters responded to the Long Horn Steakhouse located in the 50's block of International Drive after receiving reports of a fire inside the restaurant.
More than a dozen firefighters arrived at the scene and found heavy flames tearing through the building's roof just before 12:10 a.m.
Fire officials at the scene struck a second, then third alarm for manpower as the flames intensified.
Police say two firefighters were transported to an area hospital for treatment and are expected to survive.
Crews were able to get the fire under control around 1 a.m., with no other injuries reported.
Officials say utility crews were called to the scene to shut off gas to the building that they say was fed by the natural resource.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
IMAGE CREDIT: T. Finnegan