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Fire crews battle large blaze engulfing Cocoa Beach restaurant
Updated May 29, 2026, 9:26 p.m. ET
- A fire was reported at the Tiny Turtle restaurant in Cocoa Beach on Friday afternoon.
- Multiple fire agencies responded to the scene to contain the fast-moving blaze.
- Traffic was rerouted around the area on Minute Man Causeway.
Cocoa Beach Fire Department crews, along with several other fire agencies, worked May 29 to contain a fast-moving fire that swept through the popular Tiny Turtle restaurant in the beachside town, officials reported.
The fire ā across the street from Cocoa Beach City Hall ā was reported about 3:20 p.m. Friday at 249 Minutemen Causeway, with flames shooting through the restaurant’s tiki-hut roof. Tiny Turtle has long been a mainstay in Cocoa Beach, known for its island vibe.
There were no immediate reports of any injuries, said Brevard County Fire-Rescue spokesman Don Walker.
Daniel Todd, owner of a nearby acocktail bar and restaurant, The Alibi, said his establishment was not impacted. The other neighboring establishment, The Fat Donkey, which serves ice cream, also escaped undamaged, restaurant owners said.
“It looks like it was just the Tiny Turtle,” said Blair Wiggins, a Melbourne resident in the area. “It’s a pretty popular place, right across the street from City Hall,” said Wiggins, who said he could feel the heat from the nearby flames.
Traffic was being redirected in and around the impacted area, from 1st Street south to 1st Street north. Motorists were asked to avoid the area.
Video posted to social media showed Tiny Turtle engulfed in flames. Police and fire crews were at the site. It was not immediately known how the blaze began.
Tiny Turtle owner Kelly Lieneke took to social media Friday evening to say all were safe.
And, while the restaurant was closed, she was still offering to feed people.
“We are safe but we don’t want our food to go to waste,” she posted on social media. “We just got some trucks today! Please come grab some pork butts, beef rolls, chicken, eggs, etc. … Thanks you for all the well wishes! We’ll be back!”
J.D. GallopĀ is a criminal justice/breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY.Ā Contact Gallop at 321-917-4641 orĀ jgallop@floridatoday.com. X, formerly known as Twitter:Ā @JDGallop.
