Two separate fires broke out at Checkers-N-Trophies on Sept. 2 and burned the bar to the point of “total loss,” said Kent Fire Chief Dave Manthey, and the building’s structure is now unstable.

There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters, Manthey said.

The Kent Fire Department responded at 9:14 p.m. to the building, located on 352 W. Elm St., heavily consumed in smoke with a fire venting from its west side. The entire first floor was engulfed in flames when the fire crews entered, spreading to the building’s upper floors that contained residences, according to the fire department’s press release.

Fire crews from Kent, Stow, Ravenna City, Ravenna Township, Streetsboro, Aurora, Mantua and Rootstown battled the blaze for four hours before finally bringing it under control around 1:30 a.m.

Kent Fire Department asks that everyone heed the warning fence around the site because the site is considered a collapse risk, and a small portion of Pine Street still remains closed.

The first of the two fires is believed to have started in the basement of Checkers-N-Trophies, where owner Bill Savory was doing some plumbing work. The cause of the second fire is still unknown and is being investigated.

Checkers-N-Trophies is a bar and venue that hosts local bands with genres ranging from hip-hop to bluegrass to metal. The building is scheduled to be demolished this week.

Contact Cassie Neiden at [email protected].