LAKE GEORGE, IN (WTVB) – A bar and restaurant that was popular for many years just south of the Michigan and Indiana state line was destroyed in a Friday morning fire.
The Lake George Retreat smoldered in ruins after it took firefighters from 18 departments several hours to bring the fire under control. Flames roared through the two story building and smoke from the fire could be seen for several miles.
Fremont Fire Chief Eric Hufnagle says the owner of the building was inside his living quarters on the second floor when the fire broke out. The cause has not been determined but it’s believed the fire started in the basement. The Indiana State Fire Marshals Office is assisting Fremont fire officials in trying to determine the cause of the fire.
Hufnagle adds a smoke alarm alerted the owner who went downstairs, noticed a white haze in the building, called 9-1-1 and got out. The owner is identified on social media posts as Steve Rodenbeck.
Hufnagle said the structure of the multi level building, its size, the cold temperatures, lack of manpower and its location being next to Lake George were some of the reasons the fire took nearly six hours to bring the fire under control after it was reported just after 6:30am.
Crews had to fight the flames from a defensive posture after conditions inside worsened.
Two minor injuries were reported. The building owner and a firefighter were both taken to Cameron Hospital.
The dollar amount on the damage has not been totaled up.
