Newly released 911 calls capture the confusion as a fire tore through the Backyard outdoor venue in Fort Lauderdale and spread to the PoorHouse bar next door early Monday morning.
In one call, a caller at the neighboring bar said Backyard was on fire and asked someone to tell the owners their business was about to burn. Another caller told dispatchers to send every fire truck available because the blaze was engulfed. A firefighter can be heard on a separate call ordering people out of the building next door.
Backyard was empty when the fire started. PoorHouse was open and full of customers, but Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue crews moved them out quickly. FLFR Chief Stephen W. Gollan said the first priority was getting everyone out of the business.
Firefighters put out the fire in about half an hour. Drone footage from 7 Drone Force showed a melted frame where a stage once stood at Backyard. Inside PoorHouse, smoke and water damage were visible in footage from 7News.
Backyard posted on social media thanking people who reached out and promising to return “better than ever soon.” Neither business has said when it will reopen. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
