Early morning fire Saturday damages Hickory Lodge Bar & Grill

Julie Buntjer, The Daily Globe, Worthington, Minn.
·2 min read

Apr. 25—WORTHINGTON — Individuals staying at the Norwood Inn in Worthington were evacuated in the early morning hours on Saturday as smoke billowed through the Hickory Lodge Bar and Grill and into the motel's lobby area as a result of a fire in the restaurant's kitchen.

No one was injured, and guests were allowed to return to their rooms once the fire was contained.

"When the alarm went off, the people did get up and were standing on the south side of the building waiting for the all clear," said Worthington Fire Chief Pat Shorter.

The Hickory Lodge sustained significant smoke — and isolated fire — damage and will be closed until further notice.

The Worthington Fire Department was dispatched to the scene at 3:18 a.m. Saturday, Shorter said.

"There was extensive smoke damage throughout the kitchen area, more so than the seating area," he said, adding that the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The fire marshal arrived on scene at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, and Shorter said the two of them spent about five hours going through debris to determine where the blaze started.

Damage in the kitchen area included destroyed ceiling tile, destroyed electrical work that feeds the lighting, along with some light fixtures, and significant damage to the walls where the fire originated from. Shorter said the food prep equipment remained intact.

"It was fairly isolated; it spread across the ceiling more," Shorter said.

The Worthington Fire Department had 26 firefighters on the scene, with the last of them leaving at around 6:30 a.m. Saturday.

Shorter said double doors at the pool area, as well as to a hallway, kept the smoke from spreading into the areas where guest rooms are located.

Arond and Shaila Peil own the Hickory Lodge Bar & Grill. They shared on their business' Facebook page on Saturday that they are working to get everything cleaned up and back in order, and encouraged people to visit their other location, The MAV Grill at 1290 Ryan's Road, Worthington.