March 06--CRYSTAL CITY -- An early-morning fire today that burned down Bandana's, a popular barbecue restaurant in Crystal City, apparently started in a pile of wood near an outdoor smoker, the fire chief says.
Crystal City Fire Chief Tony Bova said the state fire marshal's office is investigating this morning's two-alarm blaze, but he said early indications are that the fire was accidental. It appears that it started in a wood pile near a smoker that was attached to the main building.
No one was injured in the fire, which was reported at about 3 a.m. today at the restaurant on South Truman Boulevard. A passerby saw what appeared to be a trash bin on fire. It turned out to be the outdoor smoker. When the first crews arrived, they saw flames already shooting through the roof.
About 75 firefighters from seven fire departments fought the fire. It took them about an hour to bring the fire under control.
The restaurant's walls were left standing, but the interior was gutted, Bova said. The closest business, a bank, is about 150 feet away and wasn't damaged by the fire, he added.
The pile of wood where the fire originated could have been smoldering for hours after the restaurant closed Tuesday night, the chief said.
"It could've smoldered for a long time before it ignited," Bova said.
Fire crews from Festus, Jefferson R-7, Herculaneum, Hillsboro, Hematite and Dunklin helped the volunteers of the Crystal City department fight the fire.
Check back for updates.
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