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11:30 a.m. Update - MULLICA TOWNSHIP - Flames gutted the landmark Sweetwater Casino here Monday morning, with investigators saying the fire may have been started by a 2 a.m. lightning strike.
Sweetwater Fire Department Chief Gary Franklin said there’s no indication of arson, even through officials from the state fire marshall’s office are on the scene.
According to Franklin, residents living near the restaurant said a lightning strike from a fast-moving storm struck the area around 2 a.m. Many of the residents left their homes to check for damage, he said.
The Sweetwater Casino’s fire alarms started sounding at 4:17 a.m., eventually drawing units from more than 12 area fire departments to the scene, he said. Firefighters pumped water from the nearby Mullica River to pour onto the blazing building, he said.
The fire was reported under control at 9:45 a.m., according to Franklin, although firefighters remained on the scene for some time.
Franklin said no one was in the building when the fire began. There were no reported injuries, he said.
Anyone with photos and stories of their experiences at the Sweetwater Casino should contact Press Staff Writer Emily Previti at 609-272-7221.
Sweetwater Fire Department Chief Gary Franklin said there’s no indication of arson, even through officials from the state fire marshall’s office are on the scene.
According to Franklin, residents living near the restaurant said a lightning strike from a fast-moving storm struck the area around 2 a.m. Many of the residents left their homes to check for damage, he said.
The Sweetwater Casino’s fire alarms started sounding at 4:17 a.m., eventually drawing units from more than 12 area fire departments to the scene, he said. Firefighters pumped water from the nearby Mullica River to pour onto the blazing building, he said.
The fire was reported under control at 9:45 a.m., according to Franklin, although firefighters remained on the scene for some time.
Franklin said no one was in the building when the fire began. There were no reported injuries, he said.
Anyone with photos and stories of their experiences at the Sweetwater Casino should contact Press Staff Writer Emily Previti at 609-272-7221.
