Akron’s iconic Midway Lanes bowling alley goes up in flames
Akron investigators are trying to determine the cause of a two-alarm fire that ripped through the iconic Midway Lanes bowling alley late Tuesday.
Firefighters responded to the vacant business at 1070 E. Tallmadge Ave. just after 10:30 p.m. and found light fire and smoke showing from the roof, Capt. John Morrison said at the scene.
“They extinguished it, however this was deemed a hazardous building that we were not to enter so most of the fire was knocked down from the outside,” he said.
No one was inside the nearly 34,000-square-foot cement block building at the time, and no injuries were reported.
Firefighters watched “hot spots” overnight and were expected to be at the scene monitoring the building throughout Wednesday.
Tallmadge Avenue remained closed Wednesday morning between Creighton and Grand Park avenues as fire crews and equipment blocked the road.
The bowling alley, which had been a recreational fixture for more than 50 years, closed in June 2014 when its owners merged operations with Stonehedge Family Fun Center on North Hill.
Summit County certified the property delinquent last year because of unpaid taxes, but the taxes have since been paid.
Akron Billiard & Bowling Supply Co. sold the property last month for $125,000 to A. Morgan Building Group LLC of Akron. The property has been appraised at $755,830.