Fire breaks out in attic at Pillager bar
An attic fire Monday morning damaged KC's Saloon in Pillager.
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The fire was reported at 9:38 a.m. by employees at the bar and restaurant located on Cedar Avenue in downtown Pillager.
Pillager Fire Chief Randy Lee said the employees had noticed smoke on the main floor of the building. When firefighters arrived they found smoke throughout the attic of the building and flames coming out of the southwest corner of the roof.
Pillager and Brainerd firefighters on Monday removed smoldering insulation from the attic of KC's Saloon in Pillager after a fire broke out at the business. Firefighters needed to cut the top of the outside wall off to get at the fire, which was contained to the attic.
Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
Firefighters cut out large sections of the outside wall leading into the attic, extinguished the fire and then pulled burning insulation out of the building, Lee said. The outside wall needed to be cut, Lee said, because the attic was not easily accessible from the main floor.
Lee said within 15 minutes of arriving firefighters had the fire under control.
"There'll be a little water damage on the main floor from us, and some damage to ceiling tiles, but there was no flame damage and very little smoke damage on the main floor," Lee said. "It could have been a whole lot worse if (the employees) hadn't been there."
When the fire was coming out of the roof of the building, Lee said the Brainerd Fire Department was called for use of that department's ladder truck. However, Brainerd's ladder truck wasn't needed and Brainerd firefighters assisted in clearing the building of smoke.
Aside from some water damage, the main floor of KC's Saloon in Pillager was not affected by the fire, fire officials said.
Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
No injuries were reported, Lee said. While the cause of the fire wasn't known Monday afternoon, Lee said he didn't believe it was suspicious in nature. The state fire marshal's office is investigating.
MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.