Fire early Monday morning destroyed an Arbor Vitae tavern that was originally built around a rail car.
Arbor Vitae Fire Chief Mike Van Meter said they got the 9-1-1 call at 12:41 a.m. Upon the first unit’s arrival, the back of the Stingrays Bar and Grill was fully engulfed in flames, he said.
Responding mutual aid units came from as far as Eagle River, which sent its ladder truck. More than a dozen fire engines, water tankers and rescue units lined the east side of U.S. Highway 51.
“The unique thing about this building is it was originally built around a rail car,” the fire chief said. Over the years, additional construction took place. “There were multiple layers of roofing,” said Van Meter, making it difficult to reach the fire once it was in the attic. Fire command also had concerns about the integrity of the rail car itself.