Fire ravages World Fair stove in Detroit

DETROIT — Fire has ravaged a massive wooden replica of a stove that was built for the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago and became a Detroit landmark.

The Detroit News reports (http://bit.ly/mSyBjZ) fire crews were called to the “World’s Largest Stove” at the Michigan State Fairgrounds on Saturday night after storms moved through the area.

The fire department says a lightning strike may be to blame.

The 15-ton replica was built by the Michigan Stove Co. Painted to look like metal, the stove stood on a platform at the exposition over an exhibit of regular stoves.

It formerly was located near Belle Isle, an island park in the Detroit River. It was later restored and moved to the fairgrounds.

The Michigan State Fair was shut down in 2009 by state funding cuts.