Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office Still Working on Official Cause of Culver Fire

Officials from the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office are still collecting evidence in the fire that destroyed the former City Tavern building in Culver.

Several fire departments responded to the scene at 415 Lakeshore Drive shortly after 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 9.  They were at the scene for several hours and were called back the next day after it rekindled.  No injuries were reported. 

The Culver-Union Township Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Plymouth, Monterey, and Leiters Ford Fire Departments, Culver-Union Township EMS and the Culver Police Department.

Culver-Union Township Fire Chief Terry Wakefield said the preliminary cause of the fire is undetermined.  Surrounding structures suffered minor damage in the incident. 

The City Tavern building was the subject of a court case filed by the Town of Culver citing the structure as an unsafe building.  It was set for demolition, but the owner, Scotty Van Hawk and the 27 Group, LLC, appealed the order.