Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Dragon Lounge destroyed

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Thursday, October 5, 2000

Dragon Lounge destroyed
Blaze also damages nearby businesses
By Venessa Santos
Caller-Times

Manuel Garza/Caller-Times

Firefighters arrive early Wednesday to battle a large fire at the Dragon Lounge downtown. Fire officials have not determined the cause the fire, which also damaged several nearby businesses.

Fire officials have not determined the cause of a blaze that sent the Dragon Lounge, a downtown bar, up in flames early Wednesday morning, causing extensive smoke and water damage to nearby businesses.
   Investigator Peter Salazar said the department had not yet started its investigation on Wednesday because they could not get into the building, which had sustained severe structural damage. Salazar was concerned because parts of the roof had caved in during the fire.
   "We called the city building division and they said it was unsafe to go in," Salazar said.
   Firefighters responded just after 2 a.m. to a call from Bill McCauley, the owner of the Dragon Lounge, 326 Chaparral St.
   McCauley said he and his bartender where closing up for the night when they noticed smoke coming from the air conditioning vents.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

Victor Gomez, a city building investigator, checks to determine if the building is safe for fire inspectors to enter.

   "At first we did not think anything of it. We had a pretty good crowd last night and we just thought it was left-over smoke," McCauley said. "It was when I started to go up the stairs that I noticed something was not right."
   He said he and his employee went outside the building to call the fire department and saw the rear left-hand side of the building on fire. Fire officials said it took two hours and several engines to put out the blaze that brought down parts of the roof. Fire crews were waiting for an inspector to come in and check the structure but were told no one would be available to check the building until Thursday.
   In the meantime, security provided by the building owner's insurance company guarded the area, officials said. The building's perimeter has been roped off.
   Al Dodge watched patiently as firefighters passed back and forth in front of a damaged neighboring deli, Bernard's, owned by his daughter Alana and son-in-law, B.J. Seal. Dodge wanted to get inside and see if there was anything that could be salvaged.
   "They are out of town on vacation," Dodge said of the Seals. "It is the first vacation they have taken in years."
   Dodge said he was standing across the street from the building at about 6 a.m. when B.J. called to check in. He had to give him the bad news but convinced the couple not to come home until Sunday like they had planned.
   Bernard's was burned badly enough that pieces of the roof had caved in and there was sun shining through on the first floor.
   Water damage was extensive at Forever Art Tattoo Parlor next door and to the Time Out Deli on the opposite side of the corner. Employees from Atlas Finance Company said they had a small amount of water near the doorway of their business but no other visible damage.
   "We don't get big fires like this very often," said Salazar, the fire inspector.


Staff writer Venessa Santos can be reached at 886-3752 or by e-mail at santosv@caller.com

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