The Toledo Blade - February-18th, 1976:
 

EXPLOSION JOLTS AREA AT MONROE, TALMADGE — BAR DESTROYED;THREATENED CAR WASH SAVED; BLAST CAUSE CALLED SUSPICIOUS
An explosion jolted the Monroe Street-Talmadge Road area this morning, destroying a bar and threatening an adjacent car wash. One fireman was injured when part of a wall of the bar collapsed. The explosion occurred in the Swing City USA bar, 5075 Monroe, at 8 a.m. Firemen kept the fire from damaging Big Barney's Auto Wash, 5077 Monroe, separated from the bar only by a narrow walkway. Both businesses are in Sylvania Township, but Toledo firemen responded along with the Sylvania department. Toledo fire officials asked for a special pumper at 8:06 a.m. and turned in a second alarm at 8:09 a.m. Toledo fireman Charles Beaver, of 4641 Westway, was treated at Toledo Hospital for injuries suffered when brick veneer from the front wall of the bar fell on him. Although the buildings were separate, they had a common façade. Damage, primarily to the bar, was estimated at $65,000 to $70,000 by Toledo District Chief Donald Shriner. Sylvania Township Fire Chief David Drake said he would make no estimate immediately. Chief Drake said that the explosion and fire were of suspicious origin and that he planned to ask cooperation of the Toledo fire prevention bureau; the Federal Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Division, State Fire Marshal, and Sylvania Township police in investigating the cause.

Randy Hass, an attendant at a Marathon service station at Monroe and Talmadge, said he was looking in the direction of the bar when the explosion occurred and he saw the roof go up and the sides blow out. Robert Tietje, an employee of Charles Barber and Associates, an architectural firm with offices on the second floor of an office building next to the bar, described the explosion: "It was like thunder. It shook like crazy." Mr. Tietje said that when debris from the bar was blown against windows in the office building persons inside "hit the deck." Several windows in the building, at 4447 Monroe, were cracked by the explosion. A spokesman for Columbia Gas of Ohio said there was no indication that the blast was caused by a natural gas leak. Ronald Schlaman, a division representative, said that company officials on the scene found gas lines serving the bar intact. Rush-hour traffic on Monroe and Talmadge was detoured around the area via Whiteford Road on the west; via Laskey Road on the north, and through Franklin Park Mall on the east and south. The building housing the bar is owned by Richard Peckinpaugh, of 3636 Douglas Rd. According to state liquor control department, the permit holder for Swing City USA is listed as Thomas Wagner, who gave the bar as his address."
Another article appearing in the news on 2-18-1976:
Just one week after David Drake took over as the fire chief, on 2-18-1976, the Swing City U.S.A. bar (5075 Monroe Street) on the south side of Monroe Street, just west of Talmadge Road, was totally destroyed by an explosion and fire at 8 a.m. in the morning during rush hour, causing a massive tie-up. This was a bar that shared a common wall with Barney's Car Wash-Service Station, which was also damaged. A Toledo firefighter was injured when a portion of a front wall collapsed. Arson was suspected and investigators from the State Fire Marshal's office, plus members of the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Federal Agency were called in on the investigation as well. Names listed on the fire prevention card at the time of the fire included managers: Tom Wagner and Sam Dean. The card also indicates that the business owners had opened up for business in September of 1975. The permitted occupancy in the building was listed as 159.