May 17, 2023 |
Photo – Rustic Bar – by Matt Copeland Bigfoot99
Saratoga volunteer firefighters responded to a small fire in town on Monday evening.
Around 7:00 p.m., Saratoga firefighters received a call of a fire at the Rustic Bar on Bridge Street. Fire Chief Pat Waliser said the damage was contained to the roof of the historic building.
The fire was not serious, according to reports. Chief Waliser said thanks to the quick actions of the bar staff, the blaze was almost under control before firefighters arrived.
Chief Waliser said the incident is still under investigation. As of the reporting of this story the cause is unknown. The fire chief said the roof was the only part of the building that was damaged.
Sources tell Bigfoot99 the fire was electrical in nature. The spark seems to have originated from the bar’s front sign.
The blaze highlights the vulnerability of Saratoga’s historic downtown buildings. The planning commission has been exploring ways to protect the structures from future development. Local builder Bryan Drake, owner of Triple D Construction, told the planning commission that upgrading the building’s fire suppression system should take top priority.
