Seventh Inn Fire
November 20th, 2006. Firefighters from the Metro West Fire Protection District, Monarch Fire Protection District Valley Park Fire Protection District & West County EMS and Fire Protection District spent nearly four hours battling a third alarm commercial fire at the Seventh Inn Restaurant in the heart of Ballwin. The call was received at around 6am on Monday November 20, 2006. Initial firefighters on the scene found smoke showing from the structure. Fortunately, there was no one in the building at the time of the fire. Crews quickly began fighting the fire in this wood frame construction building. The building has become a well known restaurant in the area for approximately the past 30 years.
At approximately 1130am Assistant Chief Steve Ward put the third alarm fire under control. Assistant Chief Ward said “my biggest concern was the safety of those working on the fire and those being exposed to the significant amount of smoke that was rising from the building.” The fire was brought under control by the use of aerial ladder trucks that were able to flow large amounts of water from above the fire. “Fires in older structures pose a significant risk to crews because of false ceilings and attics. All-to-often firefighters are injured unnecessarily do to an over aggressive attack. We pulled crews from the interior attack and started with exterior operations when it was confirmed that the building was not occupied and the integrity of the restaurant was failing” said Vince Loyal Chief of Fire and EMS for the Metro West Fire Protection District.
The cause was investigated by Metro West Fire Protection District and Ballwin Police officials and has been determined as accidental. The building remains are being removed by crews to eliminate hazards from the community.
Click the play button to watch a command staff briefing related to this fire. Here Battalion Chief Beirne (Fire Branch for this alarm), Chief Loyal (Public Information Officer), Assistant Chiefs Ward (Command) and Sagehorn (Side B), Deputy Chief Phipps (Water Supply) and Battalion Chiefs Cavin (Accountability) and Mantle (Safety Officer) and other mutual aid Chiefs from neighboring agencies brief each other on changing conditions and the challenges faced with bringing this alarm under control.