On Monday, January 20, personnel fought fire and ice in a structural fire that destroyed a church in Princeton, Indiana that had stood for well over a century.
For those who attended The Princeton Church, located at 225 W Emerson St., Princeton, Indiana, Monday was a solemn day.Engine 1 was on a medical call when it was flagged down for a potential structural fire, according to a social media post from the Princeton Fire Fighters Union Local 1634. There were no people inside the building when it was searched. Later on, though, it was found that the attic was totally consumed by fire. For 130 years, the church had been a part of the city.
Fire Crews Battle Church Flames for Seven Hours
47 people from different agencies were on the scene to help with the issue throughout the course of the following few hours, which continued into early Tuesday morning. Overall, the battle was challenging because the temperatures were far within the single digits. Due to the weather, a few small injuries were also recorded; fortunately, none of them were serious enough to necessitate medical attention.
“To lessen the fire, defensive measures including many ladder trucks, deck guns, and a portable master stream were employed. Early Tuesday morning, the Princeton Fire Fighters Union Local 1634 stated, “Parker Excavating was able to enter and remove a portion of the building to allow better access to hot spots that remained, but there are still some that are inaccessible and left to burn as long as they stay confined within the structure.”
Princeton Community Rallies Amid Time of Crisis
Much of the water used to combat the fire ended up freezing on neighboring municipal roads because the temperatures were well below freezing. While battling another war of their own, the City of Princeton Street Department has collaborated closely with fire crews to assist lessen the accumulation. Hot food and drinks have been offered by numerous companies and community members to those working in the cold amid the pandemonium. For everyone invited to respond, the Princeton Eagles Club even made their banquet space a warming station. I believe it’s great to see so many helping hands in the neighborhood, even though there is still a lot of work to be done.
