Zimmy's Tavern engulfed in flames during early Tuesday morning fire

Zimmy's Tavern has been a part of the village for 80 years.

Tears, stunned faces, and remarks of disbelief.

"Everybody's just heartbroken about Zimmy's," said Nancy Adkins-Yoder, nearby resident.

A piece of the village of Union for eight decades went up in flames early Tuesday morning.

The call came in around 6:30 a.m., and before long, SEPSA was on scene, then accompanied by fire departments from Osolo, Bristol, Cleveland, Newburg, Edwardsburg, and White Pigeon.

"I got up this morning, and I called my husband, I said Ray, come here, look! It seemed like the lake was all foggy, fog everywhere, I didn't realize at the time, it was smoke," said Adkins-Yoder.

After arriving on scene, those with SEPSA attempted to enter Zimmy's but quickly had to retreat, due to building conditions, and attempts to fight the fire from outside.

Madison Filley, a former Union resident, says she found out about the fire from her fiancé, a firefighter who was called to the scene.

"He woke me up at like seven in the morning and he's like I've got a fire I've got to go, and then he calls me and he's like it's actually Zimmy's, I was like you've got to be kidding me, how'd that happen," said Filley.

Hours after the call came in, more trouble arose, after those on scene discovered a gas leak around 11:30 a.m. and had to evacuate the area.

The investigation of the fire is being led by SEPSA and the state fire marshal.

"I didn't understand how bad it could've been, but looking at the damage now, it's like wow, that's really Zimmy's, you can't even tell anymore, the flag is tattered, and you can't even see where the entrance is anymore," said Filley.

"I hope they can rebuild and I hope some of the paraphernalia they had in there and all this good stuff they had from memories, I hope they're able to salvage some of it or put it up on the new walls, that would be wonderful. But I think if they rebuild, everyone will be back," said Adkins-Yoder.

Only one injury has been reported, a 48-year-old male from White Pigeon, who was transported to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo.