AUDIO: Hog Rock Family Relief Drive Happens Saturday

Friday, December 11, 2020 at 10:52 AM

The cause of the devastating Thanksgiving Eve fire has yet to be determined.

Photo by the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department.

(Milan, Ind.) - It still doesn't seem real that the Hard Rock Cafe is gone.

The popular bar and restaurant was destroyed in a Thanksgiving Eve fire, leaving several employees without a job and community members without a place to gather.

Owners Jeff and Chrissy Lanham were sitting at the bar enjoying some live music when it all went down.

"We were just basically sitting there watching the band, and then we starting smelling smoke and actually the smoke starting rolling out of the top of the vents in the ceiling," Chrissy told Eagle Country 99.3.

Luckily, everyone was able to get out of the building safely, but the building was not so lucky.

"Never in a million years did I think it was going to burn down," Chrissy added. "I thought we'd get out, the fire department was gonna come and we'd be right back in there that night."

Investigators believe they know where the fire started, but an official cause has not been determined as of Thursday.

The Lanham's hope to rebuild the Hog Rock Cafe, but details on what the rebuilding process will look like is limited at this point.

"I never thought we'd hear from that many people. You don't realized how much you are appreciated until something like this happens unfortunately. The support has been amazing," said Chrissy.

HEAR BUBBA BO'S FULL INTERVIEW WITH CHRISSY LANHAM AND BIGGINS IN THE AUDIO PLAYER BELOW

The community will have another opportunity to show their support on Saturday's Hog Rock Family Relief Drive to benefit the 31 employees that are out of work due to the fire.

Biggins of The Renagades and Jim Bode, both ex-firemen, were there the night of the fire and decided something had to be done to help those impacted.

"We both looked at each other and said hey these people are going to be without jobs and Christmas and you can't get unemployment right off the bat," said Biggins. "A lot of these were single mothers and kids that worked there. They employed half the town. And they gave everybody a break and gave them a job. So, we said let's do something."

The drive-thru donation benefit will take place in front of the Hog Rock Cafe location from 9-5 on Saturday, December 12.

Two routes will be set up right in front of the Hog Rock to allow for as much drive thru traffic as possible. Cash donations and checks payable to the Hog Rock Family Relief Drive will be accepted. All proceeds will benefit the employees of the restaurant.

"We appreciate everything we can get," said Biggin.

Hog Rock Cafe Destroyed By Thanksgiving Eve Fire