Thousands Raised For Workers At Katoi After Restaurant Damaged By Arson

DETROIT (WWJ) - In just a day, more than $5,000 has been raised for workers at Katoi, a popular Detroit restaurant that was heavily damaged in a fire that police say was set to cover a break-in.

The GoFundMe account, labeled fittingly "The Mothership Will Fly Again," has been set up to help the restaurant's staff pull through as the restaurant is being repaired.

"Where insurance will help support the rebuilding of the brick and mortar the staff of Katoi are out of jobs-making paying bills, buying food, and putting gas in their cars difficult," the account says. "All donations will go to supporting lost staff wages while Katoi works on being reborn and they can find employment until the Mothership rises from the ashes better than ever. ... It is our job to help repair the broken spirits of the staff that has taken such good care of so many of us."

The fire took off around 6 a.m. Friday at Katoi, a southeast Asian restaurant on Michigan Avenue at 17th Street.

Firefighters arrived on the scene quickly after the blaze started and extinguished the flames, which were concentrated on the building's roof. No injuries were reported.

Deputy Fire Chief Dave Fornell said it appears a thief broke into the restaurant through the back door and set a fire to cover their tracks.

"It appears that there was a break-in. There's a bag where they were stealing liquor — there was a bag of liquor by the back door, and so it appears that the fire was set to cover the break-in," Fornell told WWJ's Mike Campbell.

At this point, no arrests have been made.

Katoi was recently named the city's Best New Restaurant in 2016 by the Detroit Free Press. "In less than a year, the out-of-this-world hotspot has bolstered Detroit's dining profile nationally, but its local appeal is evident in the crush of would-be diners who wait hours during peak times for a coveted seat."

It's unclear if the incident at Katoi is related to a similar break-in Friday morning at Nemo's Bar and Grill, nearby on Michigan Avenue. In that case, someone smashed through the bar's front glass windows and made off with several liquor bottles. That suspect also remains at large.