The Don Cherry's Sports Grill in Maple Ridge was destroyed in a massive fire Tuesday night after having been closed for months.
The bar, located in the 11500-block of 224th Street, went up in flames at around 7:30 p.m., but authorities say the building was vacant and no one was injured.
Assistant Fire Chief Howard Exner said the fire spread surprisingly quickly throughout the two-storey, 7,000-square-foot structure, and that the bar was gutted by the time crews could contain the blaze.
"It's a little odd that the fire would grow this large at such an early portion of the day," Exner said.
Witnesses say they heard a loud explosion just as the fire was starting.
The blaze occupied almost all of the Maple Ridge Fire Department's resources, Exner said, with seven fire engines on scene and another four on standby.
Investigators will attempt to contact the owners on Wednesday. Mounties say they are investigating the blaze, which is considered to be suspicious.
"The preliminary investigation has revealed that this was not a naturally occurring event. It is fortunate that no one was injured as a result of this fire," Cpl. Alanna Dunlop said in a release.
The location was part of a national chain of Don Cherry-themed restaurants, most located in Central and Atlantic Canada.
