Fire levels Toad’s Cove near Centerville crossroads

Night-time spectacle. Underground gasoline and diesel tanks cut off in time.  Image: Kayla Servant

Flames broke out after Friday closing time

CENTERVILLE, Wis. – The fueling stop Toad’s Cove was destroyed in a huge fire that lit the night sky and took firefighters from eight departments all night to quell. Then smoking embers broke oit in the rubble afire again at dawn. Not until 14 hours after the original f fire broke out was it it out again for sure. The fire was discovered after the Toad’s 10 p.m. closing time Friday. No one was in the structure. Spared were Toad’s car wash and BMX racing arena, and Toad’s Frog and Toad storage sheds a half block away. The owner said he hoped to have the car wash and its puppy wash re-opened soon. The devastated main building included a restaurant and ice cream parlor. The station was only fuel stop un a 30-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 35 between Galesville and Fountain City.