Officials now believe the fire that gutted a historic saloon on St Joe Avenue to have originated in the kitchen.  Public Information Officer Mike Neylon of the St Joseph Fire Department says inspectors believe an electronic malfunction in a meat smoker sparked the blaze.

The fire caused extensive damage to the First Ward House at 2101 St Joseph Avenue Tuesday evening.  There were no injuries.

Sources say there were six employees and 45 customers in the saloon when the fire broke out.  Initial reports placed the origin of the fire on an outside wooden deck, but further investigation now indicates it started in the kitchen.  The kitchen manager reportedly suffered some singed hair as he turned off the gas and started the evacuation of the nightclub.

The tree growing in the middle of the deck has been cut down and most of it was carted away.