Investigators from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms have joined an investigation into a fire that extensively damaged the landmark Lone Star Saloon.
The popular Richmond bar and music venue, run for decades in a 120-year-old building at 102 and 106 S. Third St., was heavily damaged in a fire Wednesday morning.
Bar manager Jason Glass said when he left the establishment at 11 p.m. Tuesday before closing, and “everything was fine.”
Fort Bend County Fire Marshal Vance Cooper acknowledged Friday that ATF agents were working along with investigators from his office to try to determine what caused the fire.
“The scope of this is bigger than we can handle,” Cooper said. However, he said it would be incorrect to term the probe an arson investigation, adding that “we’re trying to determine the nature of the fire and origin.”
“Just because ATF is here does not mean it is an incendiary fire,” Cooper said.
The Richmond Fire Department “didn’t have sufficient resources” for the necessary investigation into the fire, “so they called us,” the county fire marshall said. In turn, Cooper determined that the county didn’t have sufficient resources to conduct the investigation on its own. So Cooper decided to call the ATF field office in Houston for assistance.
Fire fighters from Richmond, Rosenberg, Pecan Grove, Missouri City and Sugar Land fought the blaze early Wednesday morning.
While no one was hurt, damage to the saloon’s buildings, which are joined by an interior brick wall, was extensive, and estimated at a half-million dollars or more.
On Friday morning, two fire investigators could be seen on the roof of 102 S. Third St. examining a portion of an interior wall.
The interior portion of the saloon facing Richmond’s downtown railroad tracks appeared to be destroyed, with the roof caved in. Numerous charred boards had been piled just outside the entrance to the saloon on Third Street.
The historic watering hole attracted patrons from all walks of life for decades, as day laborers mixed with courthouse employees, police officers and judges.
Glass, the bar manager, looked at the ruined building through a temporary fence on Friday, erected by investigators.
He said the owners want to rebuild the business if possible, although indications are that at least the portion of the saloon nearest the railroad tracks will have to be demolished.
Now owned by Bill and Beverly Lindquist, the Lone Star long had been run by Karol Copeland, who kept a large amount of American Indian memorabilia on display there until selling the business to the Lindquists about 16 months ago.
