Dangerous Fire In Savannah's Historic District

Fire crews were called to the intersection of Bull and West Oglethorpe at around 9:00 p.m. Monday for a fully-involved structure fire.

Savannah Fire officials say the building was three stories and vacant. Mark Keller with Savannah Fire says the roof and walls of the building collapsed. That collapse made it more difficult for firefighters to combat the flames. The high winds and close confines of the area were also a challenge.

Savannah Fire crews had 9 companies and about 50 personnel on the scene. It took about 2 hours for crews to put the fire out.

Authorities say nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution. Oglethorpe and the surrounding areas were blocked off for several hours. Crews remained for some time afterward to make sure all hot spots were out.

According to the Chatham County Tax Assessor's web site, the building was constructed in the 1900s and was once an Elks Lodge. The building and land are worth an estimated $1.4 million.

A witness on the scene tells News 3 the building also used to be a Montessori school.

The American Red Cross also responded to the scene, in case any of the displaced residents of the surrounding buildings should need help.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Photos


(Photo by Tuquyen Mach, WSAV News)


(Photo by Tuquyen Mach, WSAV News)


(Photo by David Hewitt)

The following was released by Savannah Fire.
High Winds Fan Downtown Fire

Savannah firefighters were challenged Monday night by high winds and confined spaces as they battled a structure fire in downtown Savannah.

About 50 members of the Savannah Fire and Emergency Services Bureau worked for more than and hour and a half to contain and extinguish the blaze that erupted in a vacant building on the north side of Oglethorpe Avenue between Bull and Whittaker Streets.

Downtown streets were closed off and nearby residents were asked to evacuate their homes while firefighters from nine companies worked to bring the fire under control. Georgia Power Company crews also shut off power to the area

Investigators are working to try and determine a cause of the fire which apparently ignited inside the boarded up structure about nine o’clock Monday night. Firefighters remained on the scene into early Tuesday morning monitoring the extensively damaged building for any hotspots that might flare up.