TOWSON, Md. --
A two-alarm fire gutted a popular bar Saturday night in Towson at the height of dinner time.
Firefighters were called shortly before 7:30 p.m. to the Charles Village Pub in the unit block of West Pennsylvania Avenue in Towson.
"This whole area was engulfed. (There was) smoke coming out of the windows," said Evan Glaser, a witness.
Patrons Race For The Door As Fire Engulfs Popular Pub
WBAL-TV 11 News reporter George Lettis reported that there were people inside at the time of the fire, but officials did not immediately know how many. Everyone was able to evacuate safely. Baltimore County Fire Department spokeswoman Elise Armacost said crews found heavy smoke and fire upon arrival. Armacost confirmed two alarms.
Lettis said firefighters kept spraying water on the fire in an effort to keep it from spreading and to extinguish hot spots.
"It's pretty much a complete loss right at that point. The flames completely engulfed the building," said Dennis Bentz, a witness. "I thought it was going to spread to the bank on the other side."
The call came in as a kitchen fire, but that a cause remained under investigation.
Patrons and witnesses left to watch from the street -- some hungry -- expressed disbelief.
"It's kind of depressing. I'm very upset," said Cory Grant, a witness.
"If I had the money, I would definitely donate it to rebuild that place," Glaser said. "It was a landmark. It was a landmark in Towson nightlife."
No injuries were immediately reported, but a WBAL-TV 11 News crew at the scene reported that a firefighter may have slipped on ice and suffered an injury unrelated to the fire.
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