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If You Would Like To See The Treasure Ship Before The Fire In All Her Splendor CLICK HERE to go back to our main Treasure Ship Tribute Page!

The Treasure Ship Restaurant Fire

Panama City Beach, Florida

If you have not yet viewed our section on the Treasure Ship Restaurant before the fire. You might want to go back now and Look At This Part and Enjoy The beauty of the Treasure Ship before looking at the pictures on this page to enjoy the beauty of the ship before this tragic event that occurred on April 28th, 2010 around 3:15pm.

This page is about the most unfortunate fire and the really strange occurrences which compelled our staff to bring you this special section on your Panama City Sun World Visitors Guide and the strange turn of events that transpired with us as this was taking place.

Again our deepest condolences to the Staff and Family of the Treasure Ship Restaurant and for their most heartfelt loss suffered by everyone in the loss of this famous Panama City Beach Icon of 33 Years.

Here on your Panama City Sun, We like to bring you good news and generally things that help us, make us feel good and better enable us to enjoy this wondrous gift from Mother Nature of Panama City Beach and her sugar white sands with the beauty bestowed upon her on Panama City Beach!

We normally do not show or even take photographs like these because it is just so far out of our normal functions here in the Bay County area. 

The really strange fact about how this story came to be is at the exact time this was happening and this is how this section became a reality quite rapidly. We had one of our own Panama City Sun, Sales Executive literally en route to the Treasure Ship at the exact time of these pictures were made with a package that have would set up the Treasure Ship to participate in our new Sun Dollars Savings Program. Upon our Sales Executive's approach. This was the site that presented itself right out of the windshield of his car. He just happened to have a small camera handy for a recreational function he was planning to attend later that day and he made this picture as he was diverted away from the area by the Bay County Deputy managing the traffic. 

The series of events is rather interesting and what would seem almost impossible. Here it is as we saw it. This picture was taken at according to the time stamp on the camera at 3:24 PM of the scene as he was actually going to the Treasure Ship Restaurant for this meeting that would have enabled them to participate on our site in the Sun Dollars Coupon Program.

At first glance he thought there might be building maintenance or perhaps someone pressure washing the Treasure Ship. Notice the bucket truck as he could make out a faint sign of water you can't see in this picture yet. In front of him in traffic. He initially thought there might be a car wreck ahead as he encountered a Bay County Sheriff's Deputy diverting traffic back to the Treasure Circle area off of Thomas Drive. Upon getting a closer look before he was diverted away. He realized that what he initially thought was pressure washing was really in fact a Fire Fighter's Snorkel Truck as he was able to get a better view just before being diverted out of the traffic area. He thought he saw smoke as seen in photograph above right. His fears were now confirmed and he now knew the there was in fact a fire at the Treasure Ship Restaurant. This was his last site as he was diverted away and he managed to get a picture of this sad situation as it was unfolding.

Upon turning and being diverted out of the area. He made this picture and a call into our office. Upon this report. We had a Photo Team Staff member nearby in the area out to make a few pictures to share this most unfortunate scene with you as we were now really in fear for the fate of this beloved Panama City Beach Treasure!

We will warn you our Photo Staff Members Pictures were made close show vivid details of the damages of the fire that took our gem landmark from us here on P.C.B.

Upon the arrival of our Photo Team member. News media from everywhere were swarming in to cover this tragic loss in our land of sunshine here on Thomas Drive on Panama City Beach, Fl.

Our Photo Team staff member was able to get in quite close to the area and the next images might be quite disturbing to you. At this time the Bay Fire Department had several teams of Firefighters furiously working the out of control blazing fire and if you look around the top of the ship. You will see several firefighters working from above too. 

The Treasure Ship was an architectural wonder before the fire and you can see even as the wood unravels on the building in the fire what a beautiful design it was to make this work and come together like it did. You can see from these close-up pictures that the fire was going to take a real toll on on the restaurant.

The Fire continues to blaze even with the multiple fire team hoses and heavy water flow pounded to it from the Bay County Fire Department. You can see by now water is spraying everywhere and the sprayed overflow from the fire hoses is now even crossing the street back into the residential neighborhoods across Thomas Drive and back into the residential areas from this massive firefighting effort. The sky has now darkened in the area with thick smoke cloud coverage pouring from the building at this time.

This massive blaze has spread throughout the building almost taking the entire structure with what would be initially figured conservatively at a million dollars in damages and the actual number to the structure is well beyond this amount let alone the loss of earnings to both the restaurant and her roughly 150 employees here in the Bay County area. From the time it was built to recreate something of this magnitude today would probably be roughly close to 8 to 10 times the original construction cost of back when she was built.

The loss to our community is totally immeasurable in a number of ways we will never even be able to count.

The Bay County Fire Department continued to work efficiently, tirelessly and most relentlessly for more than 3 hours to finally get this fire under control. You can see below as the once beautiful but now charred wood is peeled away by the fire hose spray from the block structure hiding the real damage incurred by the building.

Moving out and away from the structure. We now most unfortunately clearly see our famous Thomas Drive landmark will never be the same again as firefighters continue to dowse the ship with what seems like a never ending supply of water from so many directions. A sad day it is for The Treasure Ship & everyone who ever stepped foot onto this mighty vessel on our Beach area.

Even after the fire is extinguished and declared to be under control. Emergency workers continued to stay with this burned structure around the clock as their work with the State Fire Marshall began to determine the cause of the fire which turned out to be only accidental. 

The loss to the community is most unfortunate and very much heartfelt. Here on your Panama City Sun World Visitors Guide. We decided to share with you the events of the day as it unfolded before our own very eyes which again based on our normal efforts of building up Bay area businesses and attractions here in on our site. It is a very sad day for us to endure such a massive loss as this both in our community and on our site.

The Treasure Ship Restaurant Management has very strongly requested to other businesses in the Bay area to quickly hire the employees from the treasure ship to help minimize their pain and suffering and to their families who so very much depended on this landmark Florida icon for their living. 

We are also doing our part to spread this word that if you want highly skilled, carefully trained and meticulous hospitality personnel in your own local Panama City business. Do your part and Hire Treasure Ship Employees as they have been most committed, seasoned and well trained to serve in one of the most successful beach area attractions to ever grace the shores of our beautiful Panama City Beach!

Again our deepest sympathies to everyone affected by this most untimely loss within our City.

If you would like to look back at the mighty ship that overlooked the Grand Lagoon area on Thomas Drive for 33 Years and the mighty role in which she served to both the locals and Bay Area Visitors alike.