Señor Manuel Mexican Cuisine in Colorado Springs is shut down due to fire damage

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- A popular restaurant in North Central Colorado Springs is closed after a fire severely damaged the building over the weekend. On Monday, the owners of "Señor Manuel Mexican Cuisine," located at Nevada and Austin Bluffs, told KRDO13 they are heartbroken and the damage from the fire is overwhelming.

Right now, a lot of debris on the ground of the restaurant and no one is able to go inside the building as the ceiling was completely torn apart by flames. 

The Colorado Springs Fire Department said it took nearly 70 firefighters to knock the fire down on Sunday night. KRDO13 spoke with a neighboring business owner who said he was one of the people who called 9-1-1 when the fire broke out. 

He said that he first noticed a strong smell of smoke while inside his business and when he looked outside it was really foggy. That's when he said he saw the large flames bursting from the Mexican restaurant.

"The fires were pumping out of the top of a building. You couldn't miss it. It came from the roof flying there. It's horrible, it's horrible," said Richard Monroe, Owner of Zen Cigar and Pipe Lounge.  

Currently, Monroe said nearby business owners are working to help the owners. However, the owners of the Mexican restaurant did say they have no idea when they'll be able to reopen or repair the damage.