St. Cloud bar is total loss after early morning fire

A popular downtown St. Cloud, Minn., bar is a total loss after fire gutted the building early Monday.

Crews worked through the morning to put out the fire reported around 2:40 a.m. at the Press Bar and Parlor at 502 W. St. Germain St., said St. Cloud Battalion Fire Chief Jerry Raymond.

Part of the building collapsed and the structure "is a total loss" and would need to be razed, Raymond said. "By the end of the day it will be gone."

Firefighters from three departments fought the blaze, which Raymond believes started in the basement. But it could be a few days before investigators might be able to determine a cause, he said.

Crews entered the building, but were pulled out as the fire spread quickly in the walls and ceiling, and "the entire building went up," Raymond said.

About 40 firefighters fought the blaze from the outside, and remained on the scene as of midmorning, Raymond said.

No injuries were reported.

The fire did not spread to neighboring businesses, Raymond said.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the brave dedicated firefighters who have been fighting the fire at the Press bar since early this morning," St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis said in a tweet.

Tim Harlow