44 Rescued from Flooded Restaurant

Jennifer Lewerenz | Mar 23, 2019 AT 9:00 pm

Click to Enlarge Photo: Jake Judd KNSI News

(KNSI) - Roughly 44 people were rescued from Anton's Restaurant Saturday night.

Co-owner Betzy Gaetz says about 7:30 p.m. the water started coming in without warning and by 8:00 p.m. there was about a foot of water inside.

There was a private party in the upstairs section. One party goer tells KNSI they were given the choice to stay initially, and then management made the decision to get everyone out.

Waite Park, St. Joseph and St. Cloud fire teams used their ice and water rescue equipment to remove people from the restaurant. Rescuers brought boats up to the door and ferried people out of the building.



Waite Park Fire Chief Jim Aleshire says he believes an ice jam on the Sauk River is to blame. He says the ice jam was broken up by 10 minutes after 9, and the water had already receded a bit.

Gaetz says the restaurant will be closed for at least a week, if not longer. She says the last time the restaurant flooded was ten years ago and they were closed for ten days.

Gaetz says it's a common misconception that Anton's floods all the time.













Posted By Jennifer Lewerenz News Director Jennifer is a twin cities native, spending the entire 20 plus years of her radio career in Minnesota. She and her husband enjoy cooking, fishing, laughing, sports and traveling.