Photos By: Alan Brower
Story By: Local News 8 Staff
Flames lit up the night sky as a spark started a fire in the Spori building
on the Ricks College campus in Rexburg, Idaho.
Demolition crews started tearing down the 100-year-old building after
midnight.
The contractor, R.E. Beck Construction of Shelley, was using 1 ½ inch
diameter steel cable to cut through the stone walls, causing the sides of
the building to collapse.
At about 3 a.m. sparks from the friction of the steel cables caused the
fire. According to a Ricks College press release, at the time of the fire,
the front wall of the building had fallen but the wood roof was still in
place.
Fire quickly spread to the upper two floors and roof and later moved to the
first floor.
The power was turned off to the Snow and Romney buildings nearby because
they were concerned about an electrical vault near the fire.
No injuries were reported and there is no damage to the other campus
buildings.
The question now... what next?
This will put a crimp in plans for the new building. Any changes that need
to be made will be drawn into the plans. Those blue prints won’t be complete
for another two months.
The Spori is a historic building. Generations passed through its doors and
learned in its classrooms.
The sentimental value of the building was so great that parts of it were to
be salvaged and used again in the construction of the new building.
This unexpected fire overnight may have spoiled some of that plan. But for
the most part they salvaged some windows and they are hoping to still save
some cornerstones.
The leaders at Ricks College work quickly.
When we talked to them at nine this morning they had already contacted the
firm that drew up the plans in Salt Lake. They are cranking out a new final
plan as we speak.
But rather ironic that the building so many people cherished couldn’t go
away quietly. It went down in a blaze of glory.
Related:
