Longtime Norman Restaurant Catches Fire During Severe Storm

Othello's has been a landmark restaurant in Norman for more than 40 years but Saturday, there's not much left of it.

Whether it was four decades or days ago, the reviews of Othello’s restaurant in Norman are stellar.

We were here twice a week sometimes more,” longtime customer Charles Keeling said.

Saturday morning, Keeling’s visit to the restaurant was not a happy one.

“This morning, I was in tears,” he recalls.

All while looking at what’s left of a place he holds so dear.

It went up in flames Saturday morning.

Norman firefighters said when their first units arrived on scene, they encountered a tremendous amount of fire.

Hours later, Keeling was back at the restaurant in disbelief, watching the burnt building soak in the rain.

“It’s like a death in the family,” he said. “It’s really true because we spent so much time here.”

Firefighters on scene said the cause of the fire appears to be weather-related.

News 9 crews met with the owners of the restaurant and they said they’re not sure when but they plan on bringing Othello’s back to the community.