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An outbuilding used as a storage facility by The Palms Bar & Grill was severely damaged by fire early Tuesday.
The wooden structure, covered with corrugated metal sheeting, stands just behind the bar, which is located at 422 N. Buchanan St., on the northwestern edge of downtown Maryville.
Businessman Paul Thompson, who owns the tavern and short-order lunch counter, was at the scene when the fire broke out and was later treated at the St. Francis Hospital & Health Services emergency room for burns to one hand.
Thompson said he was inside the building when the electricity went out, and that he opened an interior door and saw flames. He said he grabbed his coat and cell phone and fled the building, burning his hand in the process. The injury was not serious, Thompson said.
Lt. Phil Rickabaugh, who heads up Maryville Public Safety's fire division, said trucks and crews responded to the initial alarm shortly after 4 p.m. and were on the scene about two hours.
Rickabaugh said the building was about 50 percent involved in flame when firefighters arrived and will have to be torn down.
Though some of the structure's contents were destroyed, Thompson said liquor stored in one of the rooms was salvaged along with refrigerators used to store food served by the pub as lunches and appetizers.
Most of the loss, Thompson said, consisted of cups, towels, straws, holiday decorations and other dry goods. He added that the lunch menu will likely be discontinued until arrangements can be made for food storage.
Thompson said the building is insured, and that he was waiting for a report from Public Safety before filing a claim.
"It looked worse than it was," he said.
The inside of the garage-like structure appeared burned and blackened as Rickabaugh and another firefighter sifted through debris late Tuesday morning. The lieutenant said no cause for the fire was immediately determined but that arson had been ruled out.
There was no damage to The Palms itself, which re-opened Tuesday afternoon.
An outbuilding used as a storage facility by The Palms Bar & Grill was severely damaged by fire early Tuesday.
The wooden structure, covered with corrugated metal sheeting, stands just behind the bar, which is located at 422 N. Buchanan St., on the northwestern edge of downtown Maryville.
Businessman Paul Thompson, who owns the tavern and short-order lunch counter, was at the scene when the fire broke out and was later treated at the St. Francis Hospital & Health Services emergency room for burns to one hand.
Thompson said he was inside the building when the electricity went out, and that he opened an interior door and saw flames. He said he grabbed his coat and cell phone and fled the building, burning his hand in the process. The injury was not serious, Thompson said.
Lt. Phil Rickabaugh, who heads up Maryville Public Safety's fire division, said trucks and crews responded to the initial alarm shortly after 4 p.m. and were on the scene about two hours.
Rickabaugh said the building was about 50 percent involved in flame when firefighters arrived and will have to be torn down.
Though some of the structure's contents were destroyed, Thompson said liquor stored in one of the rooms was salvaged along with refrigerators used to store food served by the pub as lunches and appetizers.
Most of the loss, Thompson said, consisted of cups, towels, straws, holiday decorations and other dry goods. He added that the lunch menu will likely be discontinued until arrangements can be made for food storage.
Thompson said the building is insured, and that he was waiting for a report from Public Safety before filing a claim.
"It looked worse than it was," he said.
The inside of the garage-like structure appeared burned and blackened as Rickabaugh and another firefighter sifted through debris late Tuesday morning. The lieutenant said no cause for the fire was immediately determined but that arson had been ruled out.
There was no damage to The Palms itself, which re-opened Tuesday afternoon.
