CAHOKIA, IL (KTVI-FOX2now.com)—
A shell of a building and charred debris is all that are left of a popular Cahokia, Illinois, restaurant. There's certainly heartbreak Monday night. Someone who hasn't heard the news yet, it going to show up for breakfast Tuesday and wonder what in the world happened. Photos FOX 2 viewer Sandy Nelson e-mailed into us pretty much tell the story: a fire so fast spreading, so out of control, firefighters couldn't save it, and they fought this one with lumps in their throats.Chris Burch with the Cahokia Fire Department, "It's sad that we have something here, where unfortunately we come here a lot to eat dinner and then we have to come here and do this."
The Elfrinks, a couple of Stinger's regulars, consoled their favorite waitresses. The Elfrinks planned on trying the BLTs Wednesday. They had to see with their own eyes what they'd heard about on the news.
Stinger's was closed. But the waitresses said the owner was here, preparing meals for Cahokia's "Meals On Wheels" for seniors program. About an hour after she left, it was already too late. Stinger's was gone less than a year after it moved into its new, larger location.
One waitress relates, "A lot of the workers from the old building are still here. We're here because of Lisa, our boss."
The owner was too distraught to talk about what's next. Even with 12 fire departments and about 75 firefighters responding, the roof collapsed. The fire ravaged walls crumbled under the force of the water used to put out the flames."
The Elfrink's grandson called with the news says Rosemary Elfrink, "He called and said grandma and grandpa you're eating place is going up in smoke and it's going quick. It's about half gone already and I was just sick, oh, I was just sick."
There is no word Monday night on an exact cause. Firefighters say the fire is not suspicious.
The state fire marshal is on the scene to investigate, only because of the size of the fire in a commercial building. Firefighters say there's nothing suspicious here, heartbreaking certainly, but not suspicious.
