A Sunday afternoon fire destroyed a popular La Plata barbecue stand, causing an estimated $100,000 worth of damage.
The four employees of the T&J Barbecue stand on Hawthorne Road escaped without injury after investigators say grease on the kitchen grill ignited and then engulfed the 400 square foot block structure.
Firefighters from the La Plata, Marbury, Waldorf, Bryans Road, Indian Head and Potomac Heights volunteer fire departments responded to the scene at 5:12 p.m. Forty firefighters took 20 minutes to bring the flames under control.
Owner Leon Phernton told investigators that he plans to rebuild his stand as soon as possible.