Church blaze under review
The investigation into the fire that destroyed the former First Christian Church at 7th and Coolbaugh Streets is still on going.
More than 600,000 gallons of water were used to extinguish the blaze, and fire departments across the county and from Essex, Shenandoah and Clarinda were called to provide mutual aid.
While the fire was brought under control roughly two hours after it was initially reported, safety concerns prevented Red Oak Fire Chief John Bruce and the State Fire Marshal’s office from entering the structure to investigate, forcing investigators to use a drone for an up-close look at the fire’s damage. The inability to work the inside scene, Bruce said, does make it trying when attempting to determine the exact cause of the fire.
“The photos, video, and numerous statements we received did give a bit of insight as to the flow of the fire; however, that falls short of being able to determine if there was any type of accelerant used or what particular material may have been used. In cases such as this, a lot of evidence is consumed by the fire. That still doesn’t take away from the “old fashioned” police work of following up on leads and continuously reviewing what information has been provided,” Bruce said.
In an earlier interview, Bruce said due to the structure being vacant and with no utility hook-ups, the cause of the fire was deemed suspicious, and was potentially sparked by a person, or persons, inside the structure. Due to the total loss of the structure, Bruce said the situation highlights the dangers of entering abandoned structures such as this in the Red Oak community.
“It is extremely dangerous and they may be violating criminal laws as well, such as trespassing and criminal mischief. Kids will be curious; however, parents should take a couple minutes and speak to their children about not entering these types of structures. They are typically questionable on structural integrity; plus, you never know what is on the inside,” commented Bruce
Bruce added, the warning doesn’t have to be specific to children; adults participate in this sort of activity as well.
“If a member of the community witnesses anyone entering this type of structure, I would encourage them to report this activity, at the time it is occurring, to the Red Oak Police Department, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office if it’s outside the city limits, or their respective law enforcement agency if they live outside of Montgomery County.”
Bruce said he is confident that someone in the community holds the missing piece in the fire investigation.
“It’s just the matter of getting them to come forward or tracking down that piece. We are still asking for anyone with information to contact us,” said Bruce.
Numbers to call are the Red Oak Police Department at 623-6500, Montgomery County Crimestoppers at 888-434-2712, or the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office at 800-532-1459. Anyone who calls Crimestoppers can share their information anonymously.