The Beatrice Burger King sustained around $100,000 in damages and could remain closed for up to two months after a Sunday evening fire.

As crews worked to clean the building on Thursday, a lingering smell of smoke, an exposed ceiling and black attic walls were visible.

Doug Bornemeir, director of maintenance for Burger King, said the restaurant could remain closed for up to two months. 

Beatrice Fire Chief Brian Daake estimated $75,000 worth of structural damage and an additional $25,000 worth of content damage to Burger King.

Bornemeir said the heaviest damage was in the attic above the office, which is toward the East side of the building.

Daake said an investigator ruled the cause of the fire to be undetermined. 

Daake said firefighters identified where the fire originated, but there were several devices in the area and too many possibilities to determine what exactly caused it. 

The insurance company pondered bringing in a specialist to determine the cause, but elected not to spend the money since officials are positive the fire was caused by a device and not a person. 

Beatrice Fire and Rescue was called to the scene at about 6 p.m. Sunday night when assistant manager Jeff Schumate noticed a “rubbery” smell and smoke filtering into the room.

When the fire department arrived, the firefighters went into the back room where Schumate noticed the smell. Shortly after, a large cloud of smoke came pouring out of the vent above.

Captain Craig Fischer of the Beatrice Fire Department said when firefighters opened the ceiling, flames were rolling across the attic. He said they extinguished the flames within three to five minutes. 

A hole that was cut in the roof by firefighters Sunday night to vent smoke, remained open on Thursday and the entire ceiling is exposed because all  wiring in the building has to be removed.

Most of the damage was confined to the attic and no injuries were sustained.