Most folks know that the present El Bruno's is across the street from the original building. In June of 2006, the original building burned to the ground. Bruno and Hazel Herrera have rebuilt their restaurant, starting with an old Frostee-Freeze building and the old house next door to it. Below is reprinted a newspaper article about the fire.

EL BRUNO'S, A NEW MEXICO LANDMARK IN CUBA, DESTROYED BY FIRE
Cuba, NM June 12, 2006

As of Monday morning, Cuba Volunteer Department Fire Crews were still on the scene at El Bruno's. Fire investigators came and went over the weekend. Bruno and Hazel Herrera, owners of the restaurant, sat in the parking lot across the street, watching the activity. A constant stream of family and friends came and went, doing their best to console Bruno and Hazel. Hazel wept openly, Bruno fought to hold back tears. Fire inspectors from the state and from Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms Bureau were still on the Scene at noon today.

The fire, possibly started by an electrical short, raged through the ceiling and rooms of the 30-year-old El Bruno's Restaurante y Cantina Friday afternoon. According to employees, the restaurant started to fill with smoke from the ceiling about 1:30 in the afternoon and they quickly evacuated the building. Firefighters from the Cuba Volunteer Fire Department initially battled the blaze and later were assisted by fire departments from Regina, Torreon, Zia Pueblo, Ponderosa and Corrales according to Cuba Volunteer Fire department (CFVD) Chief Mark Hatzenbuhler.

The fire was still smoldering Saturday morning. There was one report of injury amongst those fighting the fire, but it was not believed to be serious.

Fire crews had problems with Cuba's fire hydrant system, which apparently failed to pump as much water as fire crews needed. Of over 100,000 gallons of water poured on the fire, 60 to 70 percent of the water had to be hauled in, according to Chief Hatzenbuhler.

Crews fought the fire for 12 hours before bringing it under control.

This July, El Bruno's Restaurante y Cantina would have marked 30 years as a Northern New Mexico icon. Hazel is as well known as her food, probably the best New Mexico style Mexican food anywhere. Aficionados of fine Mexican food rated El Bruno's as a "must stop" if you were anywhere close.

Locals are saddened by the loss of El Bruno's, saying it will alter the character of Cuba by not being here. Although much of El Bruno's clientele were from out of town, generations of locals celebrated garduations, birthdays, weddings, held business meetings or just came in to eat good food in pleasant surroundings.

Hazel and Bruno were both born in Cuba and were high school sweethearts. Hazel learned to cook at her grandmother's stove, where, as a small child, Hazel had to stand on a stool to reach the stove. Hazel tells about learning to make tortillas. "If I didn't get them just right, I didn't want to disappoint my grandmother, so I'd throw the tortilla behind the stove and start all over."

Those of you here for more than 30 years will remember the original building was the Silver Star Bar.

Bruno's and Hazel's biggest moment came when they spearheaded the production of the world's longest burrito to celebrate the opening of the new highway 550 through Cuba. Then New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson sliced through part of the burrito instead of cutting a ribbon.

Guinness Book of world records issued her title to the world's longest burrito, almost 8,000 feet. The proclamation, hanging on a wall just inside the front door, was been lost in the fire.

And New York and Paris fashion scenes had nothing over Hazel. Her annual fashion show brought in people from all over.

But the Herrera's are worried about more personal things. "I have 40 employees," Hazel said through tears. "What am I going to do about them?"