Fire destroys Compass Restaurant

Investigators are trying to determine the cause of a fire which destroyed the Compass Restaurant, 7885 Myrtle Beach Highway in Gable Tuesday night. Sumter Fire Department spokesperson Joey Duggan said the initial call came in at about 10:45 p.m. and when the first engine arrived at the scene the building was already involved with “heavy smoke and fire.”
Duggan said firefighters remained at the scene until 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. He said the Clarendon County Fire Department was among the 40 firefighters involved in fighting the blaze.
Damage to the seafood restaurant, located just east of Interstate 95, was estimated at $300,000 to the building and $150,000 to the contents, Duggan said.
He said apparently no one was in the building when the fire started. The restaurant was reportedly only open Thursdays through Sundays.
The Sumter Item will provide more information when it becomes available.