MOLINE, Illinois — The Captain’s Table restaurant on River Drive was being torn down after it was severely damaged by fire.
The fire broke out late Monday night, January 15th, and firefighters remained on scene throughout the night battling the fire.
Crews explained that although the demolition may seem quick, it was necessary for safety. The fire was so advanced and large that when crews arrived on scene they had to attack from the outside only. In addition, the extreme cold quickly turned water into layers of thick ice, meaning the building could collapse at any moment.
As of late morning on Tuesday, there were still hot spots inside the building, so in order to get to them safely, the building had to be taken down.
As crews continued their work Monday morning, River Drive was closed to thru-traffic between 41st Street and 55th Street.
WQAD News 8’s Elizabeth Wadas was at the scene as crews tore the building down. Click here for updates.
