SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Shelbyville chef is still in recovery after sustaining burns when his food truck caught fire this weekend.

As of Tuesday morning, Floyd Thomas is in the hospital following surgery. As he spoke to News 2 from his hospital bed, Thomas said that food and family were the two most important things.

Thomas, known to many as Chef Floyd, helps run Morning Glory Catfish in Shelbyville. The brick-and-mortar restaurant became so popular that the family decided to start a second location: a food truck off Cannon Boulevard. This past weekend was the truck's grand opening.

"I didn't smell propane. I didn't smell anything," Thomas said. "All of a sudden, it just exploded."

Thomas said his daughter's boyfriend was with him when the fire broke out and he is also injured. By Thomas' side in the hospital is his wife Cierra Brown. Doctors told her more than half of his body is burned and the road to recovery looks long.

"I'm hurting. I'm burning, but I feel so hopeful because I know I'm going to get through this," Thomas said.

Nevertheless, Brown called her husband "strong" and "a fighter."

"When it starts getting painful and he feels like he can't take withstand the pain anymore, I just turn on some gospel music for him and let him get into that," Brown said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Thomas said that he's anxious to get back and serve his customers. The brick-and-mortar restaurant off Highway 41 is still open.

On Tuesday, June 10, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. there is a fundraiser for the Thomas family at Chick-fil-A in Shelbyville. You can follow this link to donate to a fundraiser to support Floyd and his family.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/shelbyville-chef-recovering-from-burns-sustained-in-food-truck-fire/