Small-town Minnesota bar seeking answers after contractor strikes sewer line, causing large hole under building
A small-town Minnesota bar is shut down because it's sitting on top of a massive underground hole.
In a town of less than 100 people, The Dirty Blonde Bar and Grill isn't just a business but a mainstay.
The owners, Tobey and Jennifer Berning, say a state-led water testing project triggered a terrible chain reaction.
The Bernings bought the establishment three years ago and said business was booming and they were happy until April.
They say crews working on behalf of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency came to test the groundwater and soil because a gas station was once here.
"We want people to be safe," Jennifer Berning said. "We want to make sure the drinking water is good."
They say the contractor came to drill and install a permanent monitoring well so they can come quarterly and collect samples for testing.
They say days later, after the project wrapped up, they had nonstop issues with their drainage system.
According to the owners, the contractor they hired to help figure out what was going on told them their sewer line was struck. They say that the break led to water gradually eroding the foundation over time.
The result was a massive hole beneath the main bar floor, forcing them to shut down May 1.
They say they now face thousands in lost revenue, a repair bill approaching $100,000 and what they describe as a lack of answers.
"We made some calls and got a lot of finger-pointing," Tobey Berning said.
He said they called the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the contractor and even their representative for any help and didn't hear back until recently.
The owners say they were told via email the contractor would cover some of the damage.
In an email, Bock Mayor Adam Booth said that this is the second time the contractor has damaged service connections in town.
"I absolutely feel like this issue could have been avoided," Booth added.
"We have been in contact with the owner and contractor, who are working together on a resolution. We remain committed to supporting their efforts to ensure the business can reopen as soon as safely possible," the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said in a statement.
The owners hope to open by Friday, but the search for accountability continues
"I hope somebody is responsible besides my insurance company," Tobey Berning said.
WCCO reached out to the contractor about the incident and is awaiting a response.