A Tuesday afternoon blaze destroyed New Iberia restaurant Cookie’s Cafe and caused extensive smoke damage throughout the Queen City Plaza.

The New Iberia Fire Department responded to a report of thick smoke exiting the plaza, which houses six businesses on the 700 block of S. Lewis Street.

Emergency responders arrived on the scene at 3:43 p.m., said Martin Delaune public information officer with the New Iberia Fire Department. More than 25 personnel responded to the call throughout the afternoon before the fire was extinguished at 6:07 p.m.

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Smoke billowed from the length of the building’s eaves as firefighters suited up with air tanks and masks. Hoses and ladders were deployed as firefighters took up positions inside and outside of the building, crouching to avoid smoke rushing through open doors and windows.

The adjacent businesses that filled the 6,000-square-foot facility included the restaurant Cookie’s Diner; the Iberia Youth Football League office; Jenz Trendz, a monogramming gift shop; CopyNet, a printer, fax and copy service, and Mani Pedi, a recently opened manicure and pedicure shop.

Sandra Clements, owner of Cookie’s Diner, said when she left earlier that afternoon there was nothing out of the ordinary.

Clements said she received a call some time after 3:30 p.m. from someone in the nearby business Ronnie’s Flooring, telling her thick smoke could be seen coming from the building’s roof. She immediately returned to the diner only to find firefighters inside the building, exiting and entering through the broken glass doorway of her restaurant.

“When I left at 2:30 (p.m.) there was nothing going on,” Clements said. “Everything was fine.”

Tiffany Girouard, owner of the building, also stood among the bystanders, watching through tears as firefighters continued to hose the building’s interior in several locations along the structure’s north wall.

“We bought this building five or six years ago,” Girouard said. “We renovated the whole thing. We did it all ourselves, the drywall, the stucco. I’m just glad no one was inside. Everyone was out, even the customers. Everyone’s safe. It’s just a building.”

While it was determined that the fire began in the kitchen of the restaurant, due to the extensive nature and size of the fire ,the incident is still under investigation with no current indication of foul play, Delaune said.

The restaurant was totally destroyed in the fire, with extensive smoke damage throughout the structure and adjoining businesses.