wsbt.com

BASS LAKE – Investigators are trying to figure out what sparked an early Sunday morning fire that destroyed a popular Starke County watering hole.

Around 4:30 a.m., firefighters from 5 departments were called to the Sand Bar in Bass Lake.

WSBT spoke with Fred Sumpter of the Indiana Fire Marshal's office, who said it's too early to say what may have caused the blaze.

The roof caved in, and the inside of the bar is gutted.

Bass Lake/Cleveland Township Fire Chief Les Jensen said no one was in the building at the time of the fire, and nobody was hurt.

According to the Sand Bar's Facebook page, John Lewandowski owned the business, which is on the south side of Bass Lake and has been in business for many decades. It has been known previously by other names such as The Last Call, KeyWest, The SandPiper and Stayleys. It was purchased in July of 2006 and changed to the Sandbar.

Former owner Jim Wilkins told WSBT the building used to be a train station.

Here is the most recent post on the Sandbar's Facebook page early Saturday morning:

Another Packed house last night at the Sandbar... Tonight is the Amazing VINYLIZED band that rocked the place on Bass Lake Fest Friday :)