Hazel Crest barbecue restaurant damaged by fire

HAZEL CREST, Ill. (WLS) -- Fire damaged a family-owned barbecue restaurant in the south suburbs late Monday night.

Witnesses said they saw flames and smoke coming from the roof of Mae's Que House in Hazel Crest.

The restaurant was closed for the night so no one was inside the business when the fire started, officials said.

"It's a family-owned business, me, my wife, my mother-in-law, we own the business. It's her namesake. It's what she dreamed of doing, and now it's up in smoke." said Lamar Cato, the part-owner of Mae's Que House.

"We stayed busy," Cato said, adding that they often ran out of food due to the high demand.

"It's just sad," he said.