Owner found dead following fire at restaurant north of Giddings

GIDDINGS, Texas (FOX 7 Austin News) - The owner of the Loebau Wagon Stop has been found dead, after a fire at his restaurant.

Loebau is about 8-miles north of Giddings. The fire happened in a separate building used for cooking. Those in the area say the loss was a big hit to their little town, as everybody knows each other.

A community in mourning.

“It was shocking because they were good friends of ours,” said Marvin Matthijetz who lives in Loebau.

“Tragic nobody really knows what happened, I don't,” said Ernest Beisert who also lives in Loebau.

The Loebau community lost one of their own following a fire at the Loebau Wagon Stop, a local restaurant.

According to the lee county sheriff's office, on Sunday, they received a call about a fire at the restaurant.  The caller said the owner, Ed Pampell, entered the burning building and didn't come out.

His body was later found once the fire was extinguished. “It was really a shock. A great loss to the community,” said Matthijetz.

Loebau is a tight-knit community. Everyone our crews talked to, like Matthijetz, knew the owner for years as he also lived in the area. “He was a real nice person, really easy to get along with I thought the world of him,” said Matthijetz.

Beisert lives down the road and said Pampell always thought about others. “It's tragic hearing something like that in the community.

He would just help people out and stuff like that,” said Beisert. Both Matthijetz and Beisert said their hearts go out to his family and the community is there to help them in their time of need.

Right now, the state fire marshal's office is leading the investigation. The cause of the fire is still unknown.