Fire Destroys Beloved Fort Worth Gay Bar Rainbow Lounge

Early this morning, a fire ripped through Rainbow Lounge, leaving the iconic Fort Worth gay bar in ruins.

Firefighters battled the blaze until 6 a.m, more than three hours after they were originally called to the scene, reports CBS DFW. According to first responders on the scene, the bar was a complete loss — the roof caved in shortly after the fire began, and conditions were too unsafe for firefighters to get into the building.

Opened in 2009, Rainbow Lounge made national headlines after a group of Fort Worth Police Officers and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission agents raided the the building, arresting patrons and employees. In the raid, which occurred on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in San Francisco, CA, one patron at the bar suffered a serious brain injury.

In a post to the bar’s Facebook page, employees allege that police were less-than-sensitive when they responded to the scene last night. “We had a horrible crisis last night when our club burned down and you had absolutely no right to be rude or ugly to any of us,” reads the post. It also alleges that a Fort Worth police officer told employees to “get the fuck back or I will arrest all you” when Rainbow Lounge’s tried to get keys to firefighters.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated, but signs currently point to a faulty ice maker. No word yet on whether or not Rainbow Lounge plans to reopen.

• Early Morning Fire Destroys Rainbow Lounge In Fort Worth [CBS DFW]