Bonanza owner hopes to rebuild after fire guts Saskatoon restaurant
A restaurant that’s stood on 8th Street for 45 years is now a shell of its former self.
Fire inspectors and insurance personnel sifted through the charred remains of Bonanza Steakhouse Wednesday.
The building went up in flames the night before, causing an estimated $2 million in damages.
“It’s surreal, sad,” said owner Gary Baba. “You want to come to work and open the doors, but you know you’re not going to do that for a long time.”
Baba, who celebrated 21 years as owner on Feb. 12, got a call about the fire Tuesday night while he was away in Edmonton.
“I got here at four in the morning and couldn’t believe it – you’re thinking, ‘Okay, they’re going to get it under control,’ and then it snowballed,” he explained.
“Looked like it started in the roof somewhere and just, with this old barn-type restaurant, they had a lot of trouble getting in to control the fire.”
Wayne Rodgers, a spokesperson for the Saskatoon Fire Department, said the fire started in the kitchen.
“We don’t have enough evidence yet to determine the heat source,” Rodgers said.