Popular New Jersey seafood restaurant Pub 199 was destroyed early Friday morning in a fire that tore through the iconic eatery.

The Pub 199 fire started around 4:15 a.m. and caused the seafood restaurant’s roof and sections of its floor to collapse, Mount Arlington Fire Chief Steve Norman told the Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger.

Mount Arlington Mayor Art Ondish said Pub 199 was an “icon” in the New Jersey community, citing the elephant and giraffe heads adorned on the seafood restaurant’s walls.

"It really is an awful shame to lose this place," Ondish told the Star-Ledger.

"This is a sad, sad day for Mount Arlington," the mayor, who had been at the scene of the fire for most of the morning, told the Roxbury Register. "We have truly lost an icon.”

Pub 199 is owned by George Markou, who Ondish said came from humble beginnings to turn the Mount Arlington restaurant into an a popular establishment.

"That's a true American success story," Ondish said, according to the Star-Ledger. "I'm sorry to see him go through this."

The fire at Pub 199 reached the seafood restaurant’s basement, Ondish told the Register, adding that the eatery was beyond damaged.

“It’s completely gone,” the mayor said.

New Jersey residents took to Twitter to mourn the loss of a neighborhood attraction.

“Cant believed pub 199 burned down. That places [sic] was AMAZING,” said user @Lill_Rivas.

“Omg I can't believe pub 199 is gone. Good times there,” shared Carly Olcese.

“Waking up to find out that pub 199 burnt down ... Worst. News. Ever. So upset,” said @alexisnicole.

“RIP pub 199,” said Taylor McKean. “If you've never been you don't understand how devastating this is.”

New Jersey