Part of the Berlin Turnpike was shut down for hours early Monday morning as firefighters battled an early-morning fire in Berlin that heavily damaged a nightclub that recently opened.
Fire officials said a 911 call reporting a fire at Synn Lounge at 1427 Berlin Turnpike came in just after midnight.
The club, which only opened in April, is usually only open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and the owner said he has no idea how the fire started.
When first responders arrived, they found heavy flames and were initially concerned some employees might still be in the building. Firefighters searched the bar, which was closed for the night, and found no one inside and said no one was injured.
The fire was so heavy at times that crews had no choice but to fight it from the outside.
"Once the fire broke through the roof area, it’s a wood truss roof, it quickly involved the whole roof and when that happened, the roof failed and collapsed into what is the dance floor in there or the dining area," Fire Chief James Simon said.
The fire is out and the Berlin Turnpike has reopened.
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Caution tape remains up at the bar and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
