Full Throttle Saloon Fire Stokes Fears of Rally Disaster
STURGIS, S.D. (AP) — The fire that destroyed the Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis is stoking fears of a disaster during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
The annual rally draws hundreds of thousands of people to the area. Meade County Commission Chairman Alan Aker tells the Rapid City Journal a large fire during the rally has "always been one of my nightmares."
Meade County has 48 campgrounds, but the county didn't have a building code until 2010 and fire-safe construction standards haven't been applied retroactively. Officials say infrastructure also is lacking. Many campground areas don't have water systems that can support fire suppression systems like sprinklers and hydrants.
Aker says the commission might discuss campground fire safety in the wake of the saloon fire last Tuesday.
The cause of the blaze hasn't been determined.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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