Fire strikes The Barn, a popular West Philly dive bar
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
The Barn, a popular West Philadelphia dive bar known for its economical drink specials, wings, and crab fries, caught fire early Monday morning. No injuries were immediately reported.
The Philadelphia Fire Department was dispatched to the two-story building at 49th and Catharine Streets shortly before 2:30 a.m., according to a department spokesperson, who said the fire was under control within 30 minutes.
The Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the blaze.
Previously operating as the New 3rd World Lounge, The Barn — also known as The Bar(n) — opened in 2015. Within a few years, the bar was popular among people looking for a night of pool and a relatively affordable citywide, drawing an eclectic clientele. Philadelphia Magazine sang the bar’s praises in its 2018 “Best of Philly” issue.
The Inquirer was unable to reach the owner on Monday, and it wasn’t immediately clear if anyone was living in the apartment upstairs.
Videos posted on the business’ Instagram account offered a glimpse of the damage, with the bar’s windows blown out. By Monday afternoon, those windows were boarded up. It wasn’t immediately clear if the bar would be able to reopen.
According to records from the Department of Licenses and Inspections, the restaurant failed an inspection last week, which included fire code violations. It’s unclear what effect, if any, those violations may have played in connection to Monday’s fire.