A massive fire destroyed a popular Elkhart County bar Saturday morning, and investigators are searching for answers into the cause of the inferno.
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The blaze broke out just after 5 a.m. at "My Dad's Place" on Simonton Lake. The fire is still under investigation. It's still unknown what caused it and exactly where it started, but what we do know is that the bar was a staple in the community and meant a lot to its patrons.
Heavy flames shot through the roof as clouds of black smoke disappeared into the dark sky. It took 30 firefighters an hour and a half to put out the fire.
Five agencies responded, providing water and man power. There were no nearby fire hydrants.
"We had to use a lot of water. We had to set up the tower to get up above and shoot water into it and extinguish the fire," said Osolo Township firefighter Daniel Kurtz.
Now all that's left is a charred foundation stripped of its walls and piles of rubble including chairs, a pole for a bar stool and even beer cans still waiting to be opened.
"A lot of bars or taverns are a place you go to just eat or drink, but this place was like a home away from home for a lot of people," said patron Clint Pontius.
Pontius has been coming to "My Dad's Place" for about four years. The bar has been in Elkhart since the 1960's.
"It's definitely one of those places that's always been there. It's surprising to see it gone, don't know where I'm going to go now to hang out."
"Right here in front of me from where the poles were, last year they put a brand new deck where we could go in the summertime,” said patron Randy Beegle.
Beegle moved to Elkhart seven years ago. At first, he had trouble finding a bar he liked, but then he stumbled upon this place.
"So I found this one and fell in love with it, and I've been a regular ever since then,” he said. “You could come in and talk to people and get to know them and get to know their families and make good friends.”
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Crews believe the it started on the north side of the building. No one was inside when it broke out.
"A lot of sentimental value in there, but it can be replaced. I'm just glad nobody did get hurt," said Beegle.
The fire marshal has taken over the investigation. The Osolo Fire Department says it's too early to tell whether the fire is suspicious or accidental.
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