Fire destroys Lola on the Lake pavilion on E. Calhoun Pkwy

(FOX 9) - A fire destroyed a popular Minneapolis restaurant early Thursday morning. Minneapolis Fire Department officials believe lightning is responsible for the fire at Lola on the Lake located at 3000 East Calhoun Parkway on the northwest corner of Lake Calhoun, also known as Bde Maka Ska. 

Minneapolis firefighters responded to the pavilion fire at 4 a.m. Thursday. Crews were able to extinguish the fire in approximately one hour using master streams from the exterior.

According to Minneapolis Park Board spokesperson Dawn Sommers, crews are still waiting for an assessment of the damage of the building to see if it has to be demolished or not. 

The Park Board has insurance on the building, as does Lola's. 

Lola's will have food trucks ready for Memorial Day weekend at to-be-determined locations near the Pavilion. The Pavilion will also be equipped with port-a-potties to replace the damaged bathrooms. 

Lola owner Louis King said his biggest concern was his staff. 

"They have families and bills to pay and they came to work for me," he said. 

No injures were reported by authorities in the blaze. 

Past owners of the Tin Fish restaurant that formerly held the space joined the current Lola on the Lake owners at the pavilion Thursday morning to survey the damage to the Minneapolis landmark.

"It's Minneapolis' patio," said Sheffield Priest, the former owner. "It's the place where everybody can go to the lake on the weekend. It's the place where everybody has a cabin, where everybody can meet a friend and sit outside and have some food and some drink and be together." 

According to the Park Board, the Pavilion was built in 1930 by the Parks and Recreation Department.

Lola on the Lake posted their reaction on Facebook saying, "💔We are simply devastated. We are grateful for no injuries and we look forward to rebuilding." 

In case you missed it: Unanimous vote to rename Calhoun Parkway, parkland around Bde Maka Ska