FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY: A memorable fire in downtown Watertown (Audio)
February 7, 2024
Mike Tanner
WATERTOWN, S.D.–A story from the KWAT News archives today.
It was exactly five years ago today, February 7, 2019, when an early morning fire broke out at the former Harbor Bar building in downtown Watertown.
What KWAT News Director Mike Tanner remembers most about covering the fire that day was how extremely cold it was.
Watertown Fire Rescue Chief Don Rowland remembers that too….
The fire raged all day long. Fire crews poured water onto the burning building for 20 consecutive hours….
The cause of the fire was undetermined.
The remains of the bar and a building next door were demolished, and that site is now the home of a 39 unit apartment building and ground-level retail space known as The Lofts.