‘I’m sick over it,’ building owner says as fire damages one of Westport’s oldest bars
Bill Nigro had his first legal drink at Buzzard Beach in Kansas City’s Westport entertainment district in 1977, back when it was called the Happy Buzzard.
On Tuesday, 45 years later, he watched firefighters climb on the roof of the building he now owns, knocking down a fire in the bar, which is one of the oldest in Westport.
The fire was called in at 10:21 a.m. and crews arrived within four minutes, said Jason Spreitzer, a spokesman for the Kansas City Fire Department. Flames were visible from the second floor of the bar.
Nigro was standing down the street at his other business, Federal Storage Co, when he heard the firetrucks. Then he saw the smoke and came running. He and the bar’s owner, Bruce Vance, have been working together since 1988.
“I’m sick over it,” Nigro said as at least two dozen firefighters and three trucks worked nearby.
Kansas City Fire Department response
The blaze was extinguished by about 11:10, Spreitzer said, though firefighters remained to put out hot spots.
No one was inside at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported. None of the adjoining businesses suffered fire damage, Spreitzer said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Spreitzer noted the the building contains large amounts of old wood, which is a risk factor.
On Tuesday morning, Nigro focused on getting Buzzard Beach back on its feet.
“We’ll get it all back together and get it open again,” he said.
This story was originally published May 31, 2022 at 12:03 PM.
