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Saloon to come down
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BLANCHARDVILLE - The building housing the Silver Dollar Saloon, 301 S. Main St., which was destroyed by a fire early Monday, will eventually be torn down.

The structure was a total loss and will be demolished, a representative from insurance company Wisconsin Adjustments, Inc. said, Wednesday.

However, he wasn't sure when the demolition would happen.

The century-old building was assessed at about $126,000, according to Blanchardville Village Clerk Kathryn Kammerude.

As a result of the fire, Wisconsin 78, which goes through Blanchardville, was closed. The highway remained closed Wednesday, according to the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department.

Four people, Daniel Hardekopf, 45; Jelayne L. Hughes, 44; Cody D. Olson, 23; and Brian K. Monte, 34, all of Blanchardville, died Monday as a result of the fire.

The Blanchardville Fire Department was dispatched at 3:23 a.m. Monday after Blanchardville Police Officer Walt Fischer saw flames coming from Silver Dollar Saloon.

Blanchardville, Argyle, New Glarus, Hollandale and Monroe fire departments responded to the scene. Argyle, Hollandale and Green County emergency medical services also assisted with the blaze.

Hardekopf and Hughes owned the Silver Dollar Saloon. Lafayette County Chief Deputy John Reichling said Monte was an employee at the business.

A report from Virginia Douglas, Lafayette County coroner, indicated all four died of smoke inhalation/carbon monoxide poisoning.

The cause of the fire is still undetermined, according to press release issued by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Tuesday afternoon.

According to the state fire marshal's office, the fire began in an empty area between the second and third stories in the building's center.

There was no evidence that the fire was set and investigators didn't find any evidence of anything suspicious, the Department of Justice statement said.