Pocono News Section

Emergency Demoliton After Devastating Fire

Emergency Demoliton After Devastating Fire - Friday, September 7, 2007 at 6:26PM EST

Reported by: Jill Konopka
Friday, Sep 7, 2007 @06:26pm EST
(WILKES-BARRE, Luzerne County)

Firefighters are still searching for the cause of a fire at the Grapevine Grille in Wilkes-Barre. Less than eight hours after flames broke out around 6:30 Friday morning, city leaders ordered an emergency demolition to tear the structure down.

Virginia McGraw worked at the Silver Queen Hotel for 30 years before it became the Grapevine Grille. She said, "It's just devastating really."

This is what the bar inside the Grapevine Grille looked like hours after flames ravaged the popular place.

Carl Romanelli was also a customer, "I'm just a little bit in shock right now." … And less than a year after the new owner poured thousands of dollars plus his heart and soul into fixing it up.

Patrons had to stop by and see for themselves, the thick black smoke and flames shooting from the building early Friday morning.

They can't believe what happened. Romanelli added, "They did a marvelous job in taking this Silver Queen landmark in this section of town and renovating it. My son works here, I just picked him up last night about 10 o'clock and everything was fine."

A handful of servers showed up to work only to find their restaurant in ruins. Patrons say they're sad to say goodbye.

Virginia McGraw said, "I'm just devastated by this. I can't believe it. It's like a landmark in East end. Everybody used to come it used to be a thriving place and it still is, I’m devastated."

The owner was led back in after firefighters brought the hoses out one last time.

Wilkes-Barre Asst. Fire Chief Bill Sharksnas also spoke with WBRE News, "The most damage is in the bar area and it traveled to the second floor, the second floor collapsed into the first floor." Hours later, city officials had no other choice but to order an emergency demolition.

Carl Romanelli stated, "They had been open less than a year and they've done wonders with the inside of the place." The owner says he is partially insured but unsure whether he’ll re-build. The owner did have the place equipped with heat detectors that were all working properly.