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February 3, 2000
Doug-Out restaurant damaged extensively by fireDamage mayrun as high as $150,000By TONY ZIEBOL Journal Staff Writer NEW ULM -- The fire that devastated Doug-Out Family Restaurant Tuesday night was caused by an electrical problem, said New Ulm Fire Chief Dave Wolf. Wolf said either side-wiring or a lighting fixture of some kind started the blaze. The New Ulm Fire Department received the call about the fire at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. It took until 2:30 a.m. before the fire was completely out. The entire building sustained substantial damage, with only the kitchen area unharmed. On the positive side, no one was in the building at the time of the fire. Although the damage estimate is not complete, Wolf estimates it will be more than $150,000. Owner Tom Sterger, who just bought the restaurant in June, was busy cleaning up some of the property Wednesday. He expects an adjuster to stop by today and doesn't know exactly what the damage estimate will be. "I'm sure it's going to be up there (in costs)," Sterger said. After checking with the insurance company and seeing how much of the costs will be covered, he will decide whether or not to rebuild. To make matters worse, the fire was the latest in double tragedies to Sterger's businesses. Sterger previously ran a pizza place in Grand Forks, N.D. that was heavily damaged by the flooding of the Red River. "We went from one kind of disaster to another," he said. "Sometimes it makes you wonder." Sterger remains optimistic, however. "We'll get by," he said. "It's just a building and it's insured."
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