Fire causes heavy damage to downtown Evansville bar
The bar,
"Thirty-four years of my life," Ardisson said Thursday morning as he and his family stood outside of the remains of the building, visibly shaken and embracing one another.
"Greg has done a lot for the business community," said
"He was thoroughly invested in the community," Sergeant said.
The exact cause of the fire is unknown, but more information will be available when the investigation is complete, he said.
The police and fire departments are working with the State Fire Marshal in the investigation, according to an
Wendt said the State Fire Marshall does not always get involved, but insurance companies like to have a thorough investigation before issuing insurance money.
He estimated the damage at
Travis was working when the fire broke out and directed everyone safely out of the building, his brother, Trevor, said.
"I saw smoke and told everyone to get out," Travis said, sporting his clothes from the night before and slightly singed hair.
The fire likely started somewhere in the back of the bar, but investigators have not yet established an exact location.
Police and firefighters who responded at
Police and bystanders tried to extinguish the fire but were unsuccessful, according to the release.
Wendt said the fire then spread inside the building, where employees were still working.
Nobody was hurt, he said. The adjacent building just west of the bar sustained smoke and shingle damage, he said.
Firefighters from about a half-dozen fire departments responded to the fire, according to a spokesman at the
Firefighters cleared the scene about
The family would love to rebuild and move forward, but it is unclear whether they will be able to,
Police were asking pedestrians and motorists Thursday to stay clear of that area because of the risk of falling debris from the damaged tavern building.
Authorities say anyone with information on the fire should call the
___
(c)2016 The Janesville Gazette (Janesville, Wis.)
Visit The Janesville Gazette (Janesville, Wis.) at www.gazetteextra.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Progressive® Insurance to Hire More Than 1,300 People by End of Year
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News