MULLICA TOWNSHIP, N.J. - A green awning welcomed visitors this morning to the Sweetwater Casino.

Behind the canopy, however, the restaurant smoldered as firefighters pumped water onto what remained of the historic Atlantic County eatery that borders the Wharton State Forest.

The fire - believed to have been caused by a lightning strike - ripped through the landmark restaurant on the Mullica River early this morning. The blaze sent billowing clouds of white smoke over the Pine Barrens that could be seen for miles.

"It went up so fast," said volunteer firefighter Randy Ficken, who owned the Sweetwater Casino until three years ago. "It was an old building with dried-up wood."

The Sweetwater was a "casino" in the original sense of the word, a summerhouse built for seasonal pleasures. No gambling officially took place within its walls.

Built in 1928, the building's rambling banquet hall hosted generations of diners, wedding parties and celebrations.

Locals, and visitors from hundreds of miles around, were enticed by its reputation for seafood dishes and spectacular sunset views from the deck overlooking the river.

This morning, neighbors, employees, and children gathered on an adjacent marina dock to grieve and watch firefighters extinguish the remaining embers.

"Fifty people work there," said Kathy Gitto, a Sweetwater waitress for 25 years. "It was putting my daughter through college. The fire is going to displace a lot of people."

A lightening bolt may have struck the restaurant's electrical system and started the blaze, said Lou Critelli, the assistant fire chief for Elwood Fire and Rescue. An investigation will take about 48 hours to complete.

A fisherman sleeping on his boat was the first to spot the fire and sound the alarm.

Sweetwater's co-owner, Jeff Anastasi, said he plans to rebuild. But planning and construction will take at least eight months, he said.

"I had a 120 person wedding party scheduled for next week," Anastasi said. "I feel so bad. The biggest priority is getting that wedding relocated.

"We also have a talented team working for us, and I will do everything I can to get them work," Anastasi said.

Firefighters arrived at the restaurant on 7th Avenue at 4:25 and found it fully engulfed.

"The entire building is gone, it's so sad," said Donna Leek, who lives two blocks away. "My husband Ralph and I were engaged here 29 years ago."

An adjacent giftshop, the Sweetwater Marina, and several oversized fuel tanks were undamaged.

"The firefighters did a phenomenal job of containing the fire to the main building," Leek said. "A lot of trees could have caught fire, too, but they prevented that from happening."

Neighbors said they were awakened shortly after 4:30 by phone calls and sirens.

"As we walked out our front door you could see the smoke and flames, the sky was lit up," Leek said. "The flames were shooting up into the sky."

Every year the Sweetwater sponsors an August regatta that attracts more than 4,000 people with proceeds benefiting a child suffering from cancer.

"The boats get all lit up and it's beautiful," said resident Monica Thomas. "I only hope they manage to pull it off this year."

Inquirer photographer Tom Gralish contributed to this report.