Fire engulfs cook-out site
DENISE HEILBRUN Star-Tribune correspondent | Posted: Monday, February 11, 2008 12:00 am
HAWK SPRINGS - Shortly after
the Goose Cook-Off evening ended and the customers cleared out of
the Long Branch Saloon here, flames engulfed the business and
burned it to the ground.
Hawk Springs Fire Chief Lou
Hubbs said the state fire marshal determined that the fire was
caused by an electrical malfunction after completing his
investigation today.
The fire started sometime after
everyone cleared out at about 1 a.m. Sunday, Hubbs
said.
The workers in the bar/grill
told him they had noticed that lights had been flickering early
that day and during the evening, but no one had investigated the
problem. The Goose Cook-Off is a popular annual event in this
Goshen County community.
Hubbs received the fire call at
2:47 a.m. Sunday, and called for assistance from the Yoder and
LaGrange fire departments, with 11 trucks responding.
When he arrived, there were
flames shooting 50 feet above the building. When the other trucks
arrived, crews worked on protecting a trailer house, propane tanks
and other structures.
The fire was contained around 6
a.m. But smoke was still billowing around 11 a.m. as the
firefighters continued spraying water behind the burned
structure.
"It was a pretty scary
situation, and pouring all that water and trying to fight the ice
was quite a feat," Hubbs said.
The Long Branch Saloon has been
a popular place for area farmers, as it is the only business
remaining in Hawk Springs. Hubbs remembers it was built in the late
1960s as the L&S Truck Stop, and was expanded over the years to
include a bar and grill.
"It's pretty sad. It was a
great place to stop to get a cup of coffee, have breakfast or just
visit with friends," he added.
The business was owned by Roger
Shainor, and was leased by a local woman. Hubbs said he hasn't been
able to contact Shainor since the fire.
