Mayor Gives Recognition to Responders of Press Bar Fire

ST. CLOUD -- St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis took time during Monday's city council to recognize the firefighters and other responders to last Monday's fire at the Press Bar in downtown St. Cloud.

Kleis says we haven't had a fire of this magnitude in St. Cloud in a long time.

He says there is no doubt the responders saved a number of buildings, and blocks, downtown.  He called them dedicated, brave and well trained.

The crews were called to evacuate the building just five minutes before it collapsed.  Fortunately, there were no injuries during the fire.

Kleis also thanked the Sauk Rapids and Sartell fire departments that also responded through their mutual aid agreement.

Kleis also commented on the Rapid Response Team of the ATF for bringing their resources to town to help speed up the process and help the city to come to a conclusion in the fire investigation.

The corner of 5th Avenue and West St. Germain Street has been the home of the Press Bar since the late 1940s and has been a hub of commerce for the city since the very beginning.