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Crews Demolish Old City Establishment One Day After Four-Alarm Fire POSTED: 11:45 am EST February 3, 2007 One day after fire destroys The Five Spot, a popular old city restaurant and bar, a demolition crew tore down the charred remains. Demolition crews and fire investigators were both going over the scene Sunday. Demolition crews and fire investigators were both going over the scene Sunday. Officials said Saturday it appeared the fire began on the first floor, but they have yet to announce a cause. Officials said Saturday it appeared the fire began on the first floor, but they have yet to announce a cause. There were no injuries reported as a result of flames that broke out at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Third and Bank streets, near Market Street. There were no injuries reported as a result of flames that broke out at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Third and Bank streets, near Market Street. "We were just trying to figure out what was going on, and you could see all of this smoke coming up the back of the building," said one witness. "It was bad. It was really bad." "We were just trying to figure out what was going on, and you could see all of this smoke coming up the back of the building," said one witness. "It was bad. It was really bad." The fire in the historic section of the city quickly went to four alarms and took about two hours to bring under control. The fire in the historic section of the city quickly went to four alarms and took about two hours to bring under control. "I just saw a lot of smoke, heard a lot of sirens, and I thought, 'Oh, they're just going by. Nothing happened.' I didn't think it could happen here, but they were here," said Laura Dunning, one of eight people evacuated from an adjacent building as a precaution. "I just saw a lot of smoke, heard a lot of sirens, and I thought, 'Oh, they're just going by. Nothing happened.' I didn't think it could happen here, but they were here," said Laura Dunning, one of eight people evacuated from an adjacent building as a precaution. "It looks bad. It's been a couple of hours. I thought it would have been done by now," she said. "It looks bad. It's been a couple of hours. I thought it would have been done by now," she said. Investigators said the fire was so intense and the smoke was so thick that, at first, firefighters couldn't even get inside the building. Investigators said the fire was so intense and the smoke was so thick that, at first, firefighters couldn't even get inside the building. "The fire did indeed tear through the building, enough to cause a collapse of the building," said Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers. "So, that means it took the systems -- the flooring systems, the wall systems and the roofing systems." "The fire did indeed tear through the building, enough to cause a collapse of the building," said Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers. "So, that means it took the systems -- the flooring systems, the wall systems and the roofing systems." "It's shocking," said one woman who was a securty guard at The Five Spot and came to see the damage for herself. "...It's a hurtful situation because we're like a family there." "It's shocking," said one woman who was a securty guard at The Five Spot and came to see the damage for herself. "...It's a hurtful situation because we're like a family there." She was hopeful the establishment would be back, saying: "They'll probably do it again. I'll work for them if they would." Copyright 2007 by NBC10.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. She was hopeful the establishment would be back, saying: "They'll probably do it again. I'll work for them if they would."
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Fire destroyed a building that hosted the Five Spot night club in Philadelphia’s historic Old City section. No one was injured in the blaze,

Firefighters battled for two hours to control the flames and people were evacuated from nearly buildings. Reports indicate that at least one wall inside the group of buildings that make the Five Spot collapsed, causing major structural damage. The fire was contained to three buildings, authorities say.

The Five Spot brought an eclectic mix to Philadelphia’s Old City section where the business had thrived for 11 years. 

During an interview the owner said, "It was just time. We were looking to sell ... to somebody who would carry on the tradition." 

Lovett Hines, a longtime guru of the Philadelphia Jazz music scene said the club was a creative caldron of sorts for the neo-jazz genre. Cohen of Gloucester City said, “It was heart-wrenching; A lot of us were in tears.”