WAUKON, Iowa (AP) — A fire has heavily damaged a restaurant in the eastern Iowa city of Waukon. Waukon Fire Chief Dave Martin says firefighters quickly knocked down the flames Tuesday night inside Mulligan’s Grill Pub. But the heat generated melted items down the inside walls, and there was significant smoke damage. Firefighters remained on the scene until 10 a.m. Wednesday. Martin says the building likely is a total loss. No injuries have been reported. The cause is being investigated.

Roberta Palmer owns a neighboring eatery, the Waukon Inn Restaurant, and she says she’s counting on Mulligan’s to make a comeback. She says Mulligan’s isn’t a full competitor, because her restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch, while Mulligan’s is open for lunch and supper. Palmer says the businesses sort of feed off each other. Mulligan’s owner Dana Ruegnitz says he wants to find out what started the fire before making any plans to rebuild