Fire Destroys St. Bonifacius Bar

ST. BONIFACIUS, Minn. (WCCO) -- Firefighters were called to Sherm's Bar in St. Bonifacious for a huge fire that started Monday morning. Now, all that remains is the charred shell of a more than 100-year-old building -- also known as the St. Boni Inn.

Crews said the fire started around 5:45 a.m. at the bar located on Main Street in St. Bonifacius, Minn. The frigid temps made fighting the fire difficult. More than 75 firefighters were called in from neighboring departments.

The bar appears to be a total loss.

"Total loss right now. We're trying to recover some heirlooms, some historical stuff, collection stuff they wanted us to try to retrieve for them," said St. Bonifacius Fire Chief Shane Webber.

In its lifetime, 4118 Mainstreet was home to the St. Boni Inn. Years later, a bar replaced the hotel and over the last few decades, Sherm's became a popular hangout.

Firefighters think everyone left the building after the bar closed at 2 a.m.