photo by Gary Matthews
The Full Throttle Saloon, a popular rally establishment, was destroyed by an early morning fire Tuesday.
Posted: Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Gary Matthews
STURGIS, S.D. -
Fire crews have spent a good portion of Tuesday mopping up from a massive fire that destroyed the Full Throttle Saloon east of Sturgis.
All that remains is smoldering rubble of the building that became engulfed in flames just after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Crews from the Sturgis Volunteer Fire Department were among the first to respond and find smoke coming from the roof of the structure. A passer-by reportedly informed the clerk at the Kickstart Convenience Store across the highway of smoke coming from the building.
Sturgis Assistant Fire Chief Shawn Barrows says crews tried to get inside but heat and smoke forced firefighters to battle the blaze from the outside in heavy winds. Crews worked diligently to keep the fire from spreading to nearby structures – including the convenience store across the highway. The building was completely on the ground by 3 a.m.
Barrows says there were no injuries. That includes the bar’s mascot – a donkey named Emmitt, who was rescued from the blaze.
Fire crews called in tenders from Piedmont, Vale, Newell, Whitewood and Fort Meade because of the lack of water on site.
Flames were intense at the height of the fire, forcing fire crews to temporarily close Highway 34 in front of the burning structure.
The bar, owned by Michael Ballard, featured such amenities as zip lines, musical stages and rental cabins. It was the subject of a television reality series, although there have been no new episodes since 2013.
It’s not known if Ballard will rebuild, and if so, if it will be in the same location. His Full Throttle Saloon has been in its present location since 1999.
Ballard has also started a liquor business he’s been working to make famous. A distillery on the property was destroyed by the fire.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.