Skandinavian Bar burns down on Sosua Beach!

[MisterPink]

I just read on DR1, Skandinavian Bar, on Sosua Beach burned down to the ground last night. It's a shame, Tom worked hard and built up a nice clientele, over the years. He did have the best burger on the beach and will be missed. I hope little Yenni with the big titties finds another job!

mp

[Ram]

That bad news....that was my second hangout. I remember Herman telling me that there was a bar further down the beach that had burned down, all the owners kicked in some cash and had the place rebuilt. They have a kind of association that they have put together, so I hope they bring Tom's bar back to life.

[Vincent Vega]

This is a real bad news, this was by far my favorite place on the beach to have a good meal, and it was one of the best looking place. Tom is a nice guy and the waitress over there (Yenny and Mariella) are very friendly :corky:. I really wish them the best.... it will definitely be missed, hopefully not for too long.

[LM]

Spent some time there, nice spot and Tom is a great host...best cheesebuger around.....

Feel bad for Tom, put alot of work into the place

[Beads]

From Sosuanews.....



25 March 2007

Scandinavian Bar completely burnt out

Saturday evening, 24 March, 9.30pm.
Some people thought they heard an explosion at the Scandinavian Beach Bar (building number 152). A little while later they saw flames coming out of the restaurant, and it was just a few minutes later when the entire restaurant went up in flames. The fire department was called immediately, but it took them 30 minutes to arrive with a full crew of firemen. However, they could not fight the fire, as they had no water.
When the owner (a Norwegian guy named Tom) arrived at around 11pm, he saw about 20 people plundering what was left of his restaurant. Tom estimates that his losses amount to around three million pesos.

http://www.sosuanews.com/news_pictures/2007/03/25-3_brand1.jpg What is left of the Scandinavian Bar


http://www.sosuanews.com/news_pictures/2007/03/25-3_brand2.jpg What is left of the Scandinavian Bar

This seems a realistic estimate, because Tom's was one of the best furnished restaurants on Sosúa's popular beach. The entire restaurant has been razed to the ground.
There is some speculation as to the cause of this tragedy. Some people say it was a short circuit, but at the time of the fire there was no electricity, so a short circuit seems unlikely. Others think it was arson, but the police have yet to complete their investigations. One thing is certain: Sosúa beach has just lost one of the nicest restaurants/bars, which is a great loss, particularly as Tom is a very popular guy - not just among Scandinavians, but also among the Dutch, Germans and English tourists.




This definitely seems like a strange mishap. I would think arson sounds more reasonable. Lets see what becomes of the investigation and the final outcome. Quite interesting how the fire didnt spread to neighboring businesses?

[bachag]

Nothing like a fire department showing up and not having any water to fight fire.

[Jimmydr]

Nothing like a fire department showing up and not having any water to fight fire.


You need to pay extra for water.

[kiddfrost]

Damn shame... Do DR establishments have insurance for losses like this?

[ErikS]

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50/ErikS_/Nov%202006/Beach/DR-Nov2006155.jpg

I went down to the beach today, and this is what the site of the Scandinavian Bar looks like:


http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50/ErikS_/March2007/beach/DSCF3965.jpg


Herman from Siempre Sol told me they think the fire started about 9pm last night (right in the middle of a huge rainstorm?) and that a total of four businesses burned down.


http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50/ErikS_/March2007/beach/DSCF3967.jpg

People were still there scavenging the site, but it had pretty much already been picked clean.


http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50/ErikS_/March2007/beach/DSCF3969.jpg

Although, while I was watching, this kid pulled an undamaged bottle of Pepsi from the rubble.


This view is looking back from the Los Charamicos end of the beach.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50/ErikS_/March2007/beach/DSCF3971.jpg

Too bad. I always liked that place. The owner, Tom (at the grill, below) was a good guy who used to stop in at the Shark Bar after work. He had good chicas working there, and decent food too (My favorite was the Scandinavian Pitiprana!)


http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50/ErikS_/Nov%202006/Beach/DR-Nov2006157.jpg

[LM]

Tom has to be devastated....that place was his life

[Beads]

Im sure the business owners are crushed. I hope there is some type of insurance to pay for their reconstruction. This will effect a lot of people. If it was the sole source of income for any of the 4 places it will hurt them dearly. Also the people who worked at these 4 places have to find new jobs now also.

[MegaSquirt]

Why did it takes the Fire Dept some 30 minutes to get there and couldn't get water to put out the fire? If it wasn't raining at the time, I am certain more damage would be done! :eek: :eek:

[MisterPink]

I looked at those pictures, sure looks like arson to me.
What a fucking shame. Tom is good people, I hope he gets back on his feet soon.

mp

[continentalmike]

Sounds like someone didn't live up to his obligations real or imagined

[snoozer]

I looked at those pictures, sure looks like arson to me.
What a fucking shame. Tom is good people, I hope he gets back on his feet soon.

mp

How do arrive at that conclusion from looking at the photos?? I used to be a a fireman and I stood and looked at the mess yesterday and I would have no idea what started it without experts investigating.

[snoozer]

Im sure the business owners are crushed. I hope there is some type of insurance to pay for their reconstruction. This will effect a lot of people. If it was the sole source of income for any of the 4 places it will hurt them dearly. Also the people who worked at these 4 places have to find new jobs now also.

Insurance is almost impossible to get on the beach, the premiums are often more than the value of the buildings. Yes Tom is devastated, word is that he will not rebuild.

[snoozer]

Why did it takes the Fire Dept some 30 minutes to get there and couldn't get water to put out the fire? If it wasn't raining at the time, I am certain more damage would be done! :eek: :eek:

I would have been more surprised if the fire dept would have done something useful. I walked by the fire hall the other day in Charamacos and they could not have got out if they wanted due to cars parked in front of the hall!!

[snoozer]

I just read on DR1, Skandinavian Bar, on Sosua Beach burned down to the ground last night. It's a shame, Tom worked hard and built up a nice clientele, over the years. He did have the best burger on the beach and will be missed. I hope little Yenni with the big titties finds another job!

mp

Also gone is Ellie's bar which used to serve the best pasta on the beach and the other direction, Papas bar is destroyed. The only thing which stopped that whole section of the beach going up was the Bano which is all concrete.

[Cuba Libre]

Why did it takes the Fire Dept some 30 minutes to get there and couldn't get water to put out the fire?They probably had to stop to gas up the truck.

[MisterPink]

How do arrive at that conclusion from looking at the photos?? I used to be a a fireman and I stood and looked at the mess yesterday and I would have no idea what started it without experts investigating.

Well, there was no electricity on the beach so we can pretty much rule out an electrical fire. Kinda odd the "paid" security guard did not call Tom's cell phone. It just seems suspicious in my opinion.

I am not a fire marshall, and if I spoke out of line about the photos, I sincerely apologize if I offended anybody.

It is a terrible loss both to Tom and all of his loyal patron's.

mp

[Beads]

I will be very curious to see what facts turn up as part of the investigation. I'm no fire expert but the facts definitely look like this was no accident.

[weyland]

... I'm no fire expert ...
Surely we have a pyromaniac among our membership who can give us his expert opinion? We have every other sort of maniac here.

[Jimmydr]

I will be very curious to see what facts turn up as part of the investigation. I'm no fire expert but the facts definitely look like this was no accident.


Here are the facts,

There was a fire but its out now.

[Beads]

Here are the facts,

There was a fire but its out now.

We know that inspector Jimmy! Who started the fire is what we want to know?

[Hemp]

who cares about this? there handeling down there im sure...if i remember reading on sosua news once...there is like a organization between those beach bars everyone takes care of everyone.

[Rocky]

If Tom had an inverter in that bar, there wouldn't have to be city power on to have a short circuit that could have started the fire.
Poorly maintained inverter batteries can blow up like a bomb and set fire to flammable objects nearby.
Rain leaking into an inverter system can easily cause a short circuit.

[Rocky]

http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/showthread.php?p=297887#post297887

[Berzin]

Only in the DR can firemen show up to a fire without water, claim they can't find any less than 20 yards from what is apparently a huge ocean(and plenty of sand to throw around if they had buckets) and have it take them 30 minutes to do so.
My heart goes out to any expat who tries to start a business on that island. Now this poor guy is saying he won't rebuild. Like I always said, the DR is a GREAT place as long as nothing goes wrong, 'cause when it does the odds are very much against you.

[Rocky]

Now this poor guy is saying he won't rebuild. We're helping him change his mind.
A couple of hundred guys need only toss in pocket change and we'll have him back on his feet again.
http://news.insearchofchicas.org/for...887#post297887 (http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/showthread.php?p=297887#post297887)

[snoozer]

who cares about this? there handeling down there im sure...if i remember reading on sosua news once...there is like a organization between those beach bars everyone takes care of everyone.

Don't count on the Beach Association helping. Today there was no water on the beach and the association was trying to raise money to buy a piece of pipe. They did manage to build a church last month though. Priorities!!

[Jimmydr]

Don't count on the Beach Association helping. Today there was no water on the beach and the association was trying to raise money to buy a piece of pipe. They did manage to build a church last month though. Priorities!!


I had dealings with the Association. They are USELESS!

[Rocky]

I had dealings with the Association. They are USELESS!
He's already having to battle just to get the permits to rebuild, but he ain't letting that stop him.

[Jimmydr]

He's already having to battle just to get the permits to rebuild, but he ain't letting that stop him.


Like I said, they are USELESS beyond useless.

[Rocky]

Like I said, they are USELESS beyond useless.It's all about money.
Money talks around here.
When money's flashed around, things get done !

And speaking of money....
Anybody got a dime to spare?

[RearWindow]

We're helping him change his mind.
A couple of hundred guys need only toss in pocket change and we'll have him back on his feet again.
http://news.insearchofchicas.org/for...887#post297887 (http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/showthread.php?p=297887#post297887)PM me, please.