Tacoma firefighters are on the scene of a fully-involved blaze at the Firwood Tavern in Fife.

Flames have consumed the building and firefighters are now battling it defensively.

That's about all I know. One of our photographers is headed to the scene to see what he can see.

I'll be out there in a little bit as well and will report back in. The smoke looks visible, from what KING 5 showed from one of its tower cams in the 5:30 a.m. news hour.

UDPATE 1: I've updated the story on the homepage. You can find it here.

Fife police report the tavern recently opened after being closed for a couple of months to do repairs after a health department inspection. I'll be chasing that next.

UPDATE 2: I just got off the phone with a Tacoma fire dispatcher. He reported the fire is down to embers.

Tacoma fire crews plan to remain on scene throughout the day to watch for flare ups and to be on hand for investigators.

ATF agents and Fife police detectives plan to investigate.

UPDATE 3: We did write a story at the end of last year when the Firwood was closed down.

Read Ian's tale below.

[More:]

Controversial Fife club closes - for now

By Ian Demsky

Friday,December 14, 2007

Fife police may be getting some relief for one of their biggest headaches - the Fabulous Firwood roadhouse.

The 10,000-square-foot club at 8014 Valley Ave. E. was shuttered Wednesday for health violations related to its septic system. The 84-year-old institution is well known to local officers, said Fife Police Chief Brad Blackburn. He didn't have the number of calls for service, but said it's the most in the city. Around 700 patrons come and go on a weekend night. And cars park haphazardly along the shoulder of busy Valley Avenue.

"It's pretty much sucking all our resources on Fridays and Saturdays," Blackburn said. Officers frequently respond to fights, drunken driving complaints and other problems there, he said.

The club's general manager, Hyon Kil, said Wednesday that engineers were working on the septic issue and that he expected to be back open some time Wednesday night. But the bar did not open and remained closed Thursday, Blackburn said.

State Liquor Control Board officials said the bar was cited in November for serving alcohol to an intoxicated patron and given a written warning for disorderly conduct. The club also was cited in October last year for allowing a minor inside. The violations are not enough for the board to go after the club's license, spokesman Brian Smith said.

"We're in full compliance," Kil said. "We love cooperating in any possible way. We have a very good relationship with the Liquor Control Board."

Due to the health complaint, the club's city business license was suspended and code inspectors will be examining the facility in coming days, Blackburn said. He said health officials told him the facility could be closed for up to a month.

Kil said the issue was a burst pipe and that he expected the club to be back up and running by next weekend.

"That's optimistic," said Steve Merek, public health manager with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.