Full Throttle Saloon Has Tragically Burned to the Ground

The South Dakota saloon is known as the world's largest biker bar, but sadly bikers will have to find a new place grab a frosty beer during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The Full Throttle Saloon is a staple of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and is also famous for the TruTV television show about the massive bar during the rally. Last night, fire crews were called out to the saloon at 12:20 a.m., and saw smoke coming from the main structure of the saloon.

The clerk at a nearby store said someone ran in after midnight and said he saw fire at the bar. Soon after the initial flames were spotted, the flames engulfed the building and spread to nearby structures. The bar had a lack of water, which caused fire crews to bring in tankers which had to be refilled during the blaze. Highway 34, which is in front of the saloon, had to be temporarily closed because of the dangerous conditions.

Sturgis Assistant Fire Chief Shawn Barrows said that fire crews attempted to go into the buildings but the flames and heat forced them to fight the blaze from the outside. KEVN-TV reported that the bar appears to be a total loss, and the building was on the ground by 3 a.m. There are no causes to the fire yet, and the investigation is ongoing.