Only the foundation of Ming's Restaurant in East Belfast remains as of Thursday, July 12.

The roadside sign was the last remnant to be leveled by an excavator, leaving only a roll-off container filled with charred debris and a large cement foundation which later will be capped, according to Harland Gamble, who coordinated the demolition.

The restaurant and an apartment above burned earlier this year. The fire started in the early morning hours of April 1. Fire Chief Jim Richards said it appeared to have started in a vehicle parked along the side of the restaurant and spread to the building. By the time firefighters arrived, the building was engulfed in flames.

A family who lived upstairs made it out of the building safely but lost everything in the fire.

Ming's owner Tina Cheng said they have not decided if they will rebuild and are going to "wait and see."

 

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