PHOTO GALLERY: Fire in Oak Grove
Firefighters from six area communities responded to a fire that demolished a historic building in downtown Oak Grove Monday afternoon. No injuries were reported in the blaze, but thick, black smoke was visible for miles.
The building, at 12th and Broadway, was already in flames by the time firefighters arrived about 11 a.m. Monday morning, said Sni-Valley Fire Protection District Chief John VanGorkom. He said firefighters attempted to fight the blaze from inside the building, but could only do so for about 20 minutes until they were driven outside because the ceiling started to collapse.
Firefighters battled the blaze for more than two hours, both from the ground and air. Some firefighters stood on truck ladders to shoot water through upper story windows of the old brick structure, said to date to about 1910.
“It’s one of the oldest we have,” said Lt. Tony White of the Oak Grove Police Department.
The following departments responded: Sni-Valley, Central Jackson County, Fort Osage, Lone Jack, Odessa and Wellington. Three people who were inside the building when the fire erupted made it out safely before firefighters arrived, VanGorkom said. Those people, employees of the flea market located in the building, called the department to report the fire, he said.
David Eblen, president and chief executive officer of Commercial Bank of Oak Grove, which is next door to the building that burned, said bank officials evacuated the bank building for safety reasons soon after the fire was reported.
“The place was full of smoke, and they had to pull out in about five minutes,” said Eblen, who stood across the street, watching firefighters battle the blaze.
He said about 25 employees work in the building, which is owned by the Odd Fellows, who hold their meetings on the top floor, and the first story serves as a flea market.
Board of Alderman member Hank Melhorn, who also stood across the street among numerous spectators, many recording the event using both video and still cameras, said the rest of the building, still standing after the fire, will need to be removed.
“We’re debating about whether to take it down tonight,” he said. “But, they have to get the fire out first.”
He said the building’s location in the downtown area, along the main corridor providing access to the city, means city officials need to work fast.
“We have a mess on our hands,” he said. “There are a lot of unknowns right now.”
In addition, Melhorn said the south portion of the building, which collapsed in the blaze, fell on electrical controls that operate some of the city’s street lights. Those include the new street lights erected during the city’s recent downtown renovation. In addition, traffic signals along Broadway were out of order while firefighters fought the blaze.
Officials now will begin the work of investigating to determine the cause of the fire, VanGorkom said. He said he could neither confirm nor deny reports by some spectators that the blaze was set by kids playing with matches.
“We won’t know anything until we talk to somebody,” VanGorkom said of the employees who evacuated the blaze. “It’s all speculation now.”
