FOND DU LAC -- A fire at a popular Fond du Lac bar has been ruled arson.
Crews were called to the Wayside Bar, 295 W. Division St., on February 24.
Please avoid the area of West Division near the Wayside Tavern @fdlfire and @fdlpolice on scene of fire pic.twitter.com/r2qgKZxLGQ
— Fond du Lac Police (@fdlpolice) February 24, 2016
Everyone was able to make it out of the building and there were no injuries.
Before the fire, Wayside Bar was a popular neighborhood hangout and a destination for fish fry enthusiasts.
Jason Bedker said he misses the Friday night fish fry fare.
“On a typical Friday night there was no parking here,” the 30-year-old Fond du Lac man said as he stood in the bar’s parking lot, overlooking the charred shell of the watering hole. “There were cars backed up everywhere. There was a line at the bar!”
Having now determined the bar was deliberately destroyed, Fond du Lac Police are asking for the public’s help.
“Right now we’re at a loss,” said lead Detective Lee Mikulec. “We’re exhausting all of our leads and we’re hoping that through the press we’re able to get some more leads on this investigation.”
If you have any information on this incident, please contact Mikulec at (920) 322-3726 or the Wisconsin Arson Hotline at 800-362-3005.
A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.
