’35 years and it’s over’: Charlotte County’s Fishin Franks destroyed by fire after bizarre crash

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“Fishin Frank” (center, black shirt) looks over his business after it was destroyed by a fire early Sunday. (Credit: WINK News)

A long-standing and beloved Charlotte County business was destroyed in a fire Sunday morning after a vehicle crashed into it.

Witnesses said a pickup was flying down US-41 at around 2 a.m. when it left the road, ran into an embankment and went airborne, landing on top of Fishin Franks Bait and Tackle about 50 feet away.

The 32-year-old driver of the truck was airlifted to Blake Memorial Hospital with severe burns. The Florida Highway Patrol has not released the man’s name and said alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the crash. His condition has not been released.

The truck’s charred remains sat atop the building until a tow company removed it at around 8:30 a.m., more than six hours after the crash. US-41 was shut down as firefighters worked to put out the flames. All lanes were open by 9 a.m.

Fishin Franks opened in 1985, according to its Facebook page.

“Fishin’ Frank,” as he wishes to be called, said he would take Polaroid pictures of those who came into the shop. He had 3,000 stuck on the ceiling, all of them lost in the fire.

The 62-year-old said he doesn’t know what he’ll do now.

“I’ve been here 35 years,” he said. “That’s your entire life of memories that I look at this and I have more than your … I got your whole life worth of memories in here. My whole life of memories. Our life. This is all we’ve done for 35 years and it’s over.”

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