Arson suspected after fire rips through Ginger Beef Bistro House on Macleod Trail

A fire that engulfed a south Calgary restaurant and partially shut down a stretch of Macleod Trail Monday morning is being investigated as suspicious.

The Calgary Fire Department said crews responded to multiple calls that smoke and flames were pouring out of the Ginger Beef Bistro House at 9629 Macleod Trail S.W. around 6:20 a.m.

Mikaela Mill said flames had engulfed the restaurant by the time she arrived across the street to use a gym at about  6:15 a.m.

"It was already just going up in flames," Mill said.

"The whole restaurant was on fire, but it was just like a big smoke cloud with flames in it."

Restaurant owner James Leung found out about the fire when his security company notified him that a motion sensor had been triggered around 6:20 a.m.

"Then, the security alarm went off … so by the time we went there, the fire department and and police [were] already there," Leung told CBC News.

Leung said he feels lucky no employees or customers were inside.

He hadn't yet been allowed to see the extent of the damage yet, as investigators had to finish inspecting the property.

But by looking at it from the outside, Leung estimated half of the restaurant has burned down.

"To rebuild [the] restaurant, it's going to take a long time," Leung said.

"Of course, I feel sad. Like, the business has been there for so many years, and all of a sudden, the fire destroyed everything."

The fire department said the blaze may be suspicious. One of its investigators and Calgary Police Service arson detectives have been called in to probe its origin and cause.

The blaze appeared to have started outside of the building and extended to the roof before quickly spreading inside, the fire department said.