Photos from Sara Faaliga show the fire burning at Stubs. (Sara Faaliga)
BATTLE LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A well-loved gathering spot in west-central Minnesota was destroyed overnight as a fire tore through Stub’s Dining & Gunpowder Bar in Battle Lake.
What happened?
KVRR in Fargo reports that police responded to the restaurant around 9:30 p.m. Monday and battled until 3:30 a.m.
During the fight, the roof collapsed and there was significant interior damage.
Photos shared with FOX 9 by Sara Faaliga show firefighters battling flames, working for hours overnight to extinguish the fire.
Background
KVRR says the restaurant is in offseason hours and closed on Mondays. The restaurant opened in 1969 and was sold to two employees in 1995 and sold again a year ago to new owners.
The restaurant is located on the south side of Battle Lake, a small city on the western edge of West Battle Lake. The city is about seven miles east of Fergus Falls and 60 miles southeast of Fargo.
Reaction
The daughters of the restaurant founder mourned the destruction of the restaurant in a Facebook post, writing: "Can't explain the amount of memories we have built throughout the years and how proud we were to be Stubs daughters. Our hearts hurt but we love hearing all the stories of how his legacy had an impact on the Battle Lake community and beyond."
The City of Battle Lake also shared a message: "Stubs has been an icon in the community for several decades. It's amazing to see the outpouring of support from several area fire departments, and community members and to read the words of care and memories from people everywhere. We are proud to be THAT community. Stubs recently changed hands and we must keep them in mind as we mourn the loss of this establishment. What a devastation for them."