Brevard County Fire Rescue crews contained a fire at a Sonny’s BBQ restaurant on Merritt Island on Monday, June 8. The blaze, reported at 3:45 p.m., sent black smoke billowing from the building at 310 N. Courtenay Parkway. No injuries were reported, and all workers and customers evacuated the site, according to fire officials. Flames were visible through the roof as multiple fire engines arrived on the busy commercial corridor just north of State Road 520.
Rachel Horst, a spokesperson for Brevard County Fire Rescue, said the fire caused damage to the building but declined to comment on whether it was salvageable. "Our agency doesn’t make those kinds of determinations," she said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. This incident follows a similar blaze on May 29 at the Tiny Turtle restaurant on Minutemen Causeway, which also suffered significant damage.
The Sonny’s BBQ location on Merritt Island is one of several in the area, with other sites in Palm Bay and Viera. The restaurant is a regular destination for locals, though details about the extent of the damage or potential closure were not immediately available. Fire crews worked quickly to contain the flames, which spread rapidly through the structure.
Horst emphasized that the investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing. "The cause is still under investigation," she said. No further details about the incident or potential safety concerns were released. The second fire in a month has raised questions about fire safety in commercial buildings across the county, though officials have not commented on broader implications.