A blaze destroyed part of a building on McDaniel Street Monday, but with a quick a response the Columbia Fire Department was able to save the structure.
While there is smoke and heat damage throughout the former Marvin’s Sports Bar, the fire damage was limited to the bar area. Owner Marvin Webber said he now rents out the building for private parties and events.
Webber said he was watching TV in his home, which is also on McDaniel Street near Lumberton Road, when his grandson came in and told him it looked like the building was on fire. The call was received by the fire department at 12:11 Monday afternoon.
On Sundays Webber said they watch football in the building, and nobody had been in it since 8 p.m. Sunday.
“I’m thankful it wasn’t totally destroyed. The fire chief said that the structure is still solid. There’s a lot of sheetrock damage, and I’m going to have to rebuild the bar,” he said. “The main thing is I’m just glad to be here.”
Columbia fire Chief Jeff McKenzie said when they arrived on scene, the building was full of smoke. “We made entry and put the fire out. It looked like it started around the bar area initially,” he said.
McKenzie said the state fire marshal’s office has been called and will come to Columbia to investigate the cause in the next couple of days.
