Florence DQ Fire, Aug. 19

It’s considered a total loss. The Dairy Queen restaurant at the north end of the Siuslaw River Bridge entering Florence was gutted by an early morning fire Wednesday, Aug. 18. Fire crews responded to the structure fire call at 1:28 a.m. to 125 Hwy. 101. They battled the blaze until 3:30 a.m. Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue (SVFR) Fire Chief Michael Schick said firefighters had to immediately go into a “defensive fire position” upon arrival due to the advanced state of the fire. Cause of the fire is unknown. An investigation is underway.