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Beaver Falls Fire Damages Church, Buildings

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Oct 15, 2008 2:49 pm US/Eastern

Beaver Falls Fire Damages Church, Buildings

Reporting
Bob Allen
BEAVER FALLS (KDKA) ― People jumped from windows to escape a roaring fire in Beaver Falls early this morning.

The blaze badly damaged an historic church and three buildings.

Some are calling it one of the worst fires in Beaver County history.

It started around 2 a.m. in the 1800 block of Seventh Avenue.

A huge cloud of smoke and flames could be seen for miles.

"I'm glad I just happened to look out the window when I seen the flames at the time. That was a fast moving fire. I never seen nothing fast like that," said neighbor Joe Caravella.

He ran across the street to warn residents.

"I ran over and knocked on the door. I heard a lady say 'help me'. I went in and she is laying there. She is on a walker, she can't move on her own. I got her out of there," said Caravella.

As the fire spread to their building, 21 year-old Stephanie Atkins and 22-year-old Robert Plum escaped the flames by jumping from a second story window.

"She's got two broken ankles. She has to have surgery," said relative Cindy Ayres.

Dozens of firefighters attacked the flames from every direction.

But it raced out of the control and destroyed everything in the path.

"In the rear of the building, it spread quickly from and entered every one of the buildings very rapidly before we could even get a handle on it," said Beaver Falls Fire Chief Mark Stowe.

Flames shot into the tower of the more than 100-year-old Otterbein United Methodist Church.

The church's front steps became a small water fall as water rushed out of the building.

"It's devastating, I just can't believe it. It's gone. Burning like that. It's a real shock," said church member Sheila Cox.

Members could only watch and wonder if this is the end of their church.

"In Beaver Falls, it's a difficult town to be in the ministry," said Pastor Brian Keller. "We've always been wondering where God would have us go as a church. Maybe some our answers came in this terrible tragedy."

Members say the building will likely have to be demolished.

Eight to ten residents, who lived in nearby apartments, were displaced by the fire.

The fire marshal is on the scene investigating the cause.

Stay with KDKA for more details.


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