Tragedy struck Germantown this afternoon. A tipster who lives nearby sent in word that the Old Hickory Inn on the corner of Hickory and Lydia Streets caught fire around 4:00 p.m. today. The bar is famous for opposing the smoking ban. A donation jar had once been placed on the counter to collect money to fight the ban. The current owner has had the business since 1998 but the bar has been around for decades; it employs five people.
The building was empty at the time of the fire and no one was injured. So writes our tipster: “EPIC FAIL! No injuries and the adjacent buildings looked pretty ok, but it was hard to tell because the whole area was taped off. It’s definitely a goner though. I’m only sad because I’m afraid it’s just going to be another burned down building in the neighborhood…”
Two ladder trucks were called to fight the fire. Apparently, a gas line in the basement was fueling the blaze. You can still see smoke pouring out of the building’s roof in these photos taken around 5:00 p.m.
