Holy fire
Clare's St. Matthew church demolished in controlled burn
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
A crew of volunteers spray water on homes across the street from St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare Saturday morning during a controlled burn of the 1908 building. The debris in the road is thousands of charred pieces of wood that the flames carried up out of the structure.
A crew of volunteers spray water on homes across the street from St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare Saturday morning during a controlled burn of the 1908 building. The debris in the road is thousands of charred pieces of wood that the flames carried up out of the structure.
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Kaye Miklo, of Fort Dodge, at left, along with Theresa Weber, of Minneapolis, record the controlled demolition burn at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare on their phones Saturday. Most of those watching found the loss of the 1908 vintage structure sad.
Kaye Miklo, of Fort Dodge, at left, along with Theresa Weber, of Minneapolis, record the controlled demolition burn at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare on their phones Saturday. Most of those watching found the loss of the 1908 vintage structure sad.
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Flames quickly reached the top of the steeple at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare Saturday morning during a controlled demolition burn.
Flames quickly reached the top of the steeple at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare Saturday morning during a controlled demolition burn.
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Badger firefighter Don Ashenfelter lights up a pile of pallets with a propane torch Saturday morning during the St. Matthew Catholic Church controlled demolition burn in Clare. The flames in the sanctuary were coming up from the basement where the fire was initially lit. It took about an hour from ignition for the structure to be fully engulfed and burned.
Badger firefighter Don Ashenfelter lights up a pile of pallets with a propane torch Saturday morning during the St. Matthew Catholic Church controlled demolition burn in Clare. The flames in the sanctuary were coming up from the basement where the fire was initially lit. It took about an hour from ignition for the structure to be fully engulfed and burned.
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
The interior of St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare became a roiling mass of flames Saturday morning during a controlled demolition burn.
The interior of St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare became a roiling mass of flames Saturday morning during a controlled demolition burn.
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Firefighter Josh Lippolt puts a little bit of water on a piece of burning lumber carried up and away from St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare Saturday during a controlled demolition burn. The intense heat and strong updraft easily carried pieces of burning wood across the street and even into a nearby field.
Firefighter Josh Lippolt puts a little bit of water on a piece of burning lumber carried up and away from St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare Saturday during a controlled demolition burn. The intense heat and strong updraft easily carried pieces of burning wood across the street and even into a nearby field.
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Most of the salvageable items, including the bell, were removed from St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare before the start of Saturday's controlled demolition burn. A few pages of sheet music went up with the building.
Most of the salvageable items, including the bell, were removed from St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare before the start of Saturday's controlled demolition burn. A few pages of sheet music went up with the building.
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Neighbors, family, former residents and the curious gathered Saturday mornig to watch the controlled demolition burn of St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare.
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-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
A crew of volunteers spray water on homes across the street from St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare Saturday morning during a controlled burn of the 1908 building. The debris in the road is thousands of charred pieces of wood that the flames carried up out of the structure.
-
-
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Kaye Miklo, of Fort Dodge, at left, along with Theresa Weber, of Minneapolis, record the controlled demolition burn at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare on their phones Saturday. Most of those watching found the loss of the 1908 vintage structure sad.
-
-
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Flames quickly reached the top of the steeple at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare Saturday morning during a controlled demolition burn.
-
-
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Badger firefighter Don Ashenfelter lights up a pile of pallets with a propane torch Saturday morning during the St. Matthew Catholic Church controlled demolition burn in Clare. The flames in the sanctuary were coming up from the basement where the fire was initially lit. It took about an hour from ignition for the structure to be fully engulfed and burned.
-
-
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
The interior of St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare became a roiling mass of flames Saturday morning during a controlled demolition burn.
-
-
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Firefighter Josh Lippolt puts a little bit of water on a piece of burning lumber carried up and away from St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare Saturday during a controlled demolition burn. The intense heat and strong updraft easily carried pieces of burning wood across the street and even into a nearby field.
-
-
-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Most of the salvageable items, including the bell, were removed from St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare before the start of Saturday’s controlled demolition burn. A few pages of sheet music went up with the building.
-
- -Messenger photo by Hans Madsen Neighbors, family, former residents and the curious gathered Saturday mornig to watch the controlled demolition burn of St. Matthew Catholic Church in Clare.
