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Highlands Today

Lightning strike sparked LP restaurant fire

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By BRAD DICKERSON

Highlands Today

Published: June 2, 2009

LAKE PLACID - Mother Nature appears to be the cause of the May 13 fire that destroyed Lake Placid's Main Street America Restaurant.

Owner Shawn Larkin said an investigator from his insurance company determined that a lightning strike started the blaze.

"It was storming like a bugger and lightning was popping," said Larkin about the weather conditions that day.

The fire started around 4:30 p.m., on May 13. No one was inside at the time of the blaze, as the restaurant closed for the day at 2 p.m., and the last person inside left around 2:45.

Sam Venzeio, with the state fire marshal's office, previously said the area of origin was the kitchen and several people reported hearing a loud boom, leading to the belief that lightning was the culprit.
Larkin opened the restaurant in 1986 with his brother, mother and father. The others eventually moved back to Fort Lauderdale and he remained as sole owner.

On Monday, he said the insurance company will be the deciding factor on whether he rebuilds the eatery.

"It all depends on the insurance," Larkin said. "If all goes well, we hope to build bigger and better."

Highlands Today reporter Brad Dickerson can be reached at (863) 386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com

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