Hollywood superstar Mark Wahlberg anticipated a triumphant moment as he prepared to officially open the doors to his new Mexican restaurant, Flecha Cantina, in Las Vegas. But just one day before the big ribbon-cutting ceremony, disaster struck.
On the evening of November 6th, flames erupted from the patio of the Flecha Cantina, located within the Town Square shopping complex on the Las Vegas Strip. Eyewitness video posted to X (formerly Twitter) showed the fire rapidly spreading, with flames licking at the building’s exterior.
According to a press release, the Clark County Fire Department responded to calls about the blaze around 5:30 pm. Firefighters arrived to find the restaurant’s sprinkler system activated and the building fully evacuated. Fire officials confirmed that they contained the flames to a single defective propane fire table on the patio, preventing them from reaching the interior of the restaurant.
“The fire crew arrived and quickly extinguished it,” a Flecha Cantina spokesperson told People magazine. “The only damage was to the fire pit itself and a nearby chair, with no harm to the interior of the restaurant, and thankfully, no injuries.”
Recharging the sprinkler system allowed the restaurant to reopen just two hours later, at 7 pm that same evening. Mark Wahlberg will attend Flecha Cantina’s grand opening celebration on November 7th, despite the scare.
The Vegas location of Flecha Cantina is the second outpost of Wahlberg’s Mexican restaurant concept, following the successful launch of the first restaurant in Huntington Beach, California, earlier this year. The Las Vegas eatery offers “a fusion of traditional Mexican flavors with innovative twists,” the press release stated.
Wahlberg, known for blockbuster films like “Boogie Nights,” “The Departed,” and the “Transformers” franchise, has been expanding his business ventures in recent years. In 2022, he and his family relocated from California to Las Vegas, citing new opportunities and a better quality of life for his four children.
Wahlberg told People in March that it’s a place where his kids can thrive, pursue their interests, and do what they do best. “To be able to give my kids a better life and follow and pursue their dreams—whether it be my daughter as an equestrian, my son as a basketball player, or my younger son as a golfer—this made a lot more sense for us.”
In addition to his acting career, Wahlberg has business interests in the automotive industry, with an Airstream dealership in Lorain, Ohio, and a Chevrolet dealership in Avon, Ohio. He also has a stake in the Wahlburgers burger chain, which has locations in Youngstown, Columbus, and Dayton, among other cities.
Despite the minor setback with the fire, Wahlberg and his team are forging ahead with the grand opening celebration at Flecha Cantina. We expect the actor to grace the occasion, welcoming guests and officially cutting the ribbon to inaugurate the latest chapter in his expanding culinary empire.
As for the cause of the fire, officials say surveillance footage indicated that the blaze ignited from within the defective fire table’s internal mechanisms. Thankfully, the quick action of the fire department and the restaurant’s sprinkler system prevented the flames from causing any significant damage.
Just one day away from the grand opening, Wahlberg and the Flecha Cantina team will undoubtedly feel a sense of relief. And for the actor’s legions of fans, the opportunity to dine at his latest restaurant venture is sure to be a hot ticket in town.