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Zion Church fire started in basement kitchen

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BY LORI PILGER / Lincoln Journal Star

Monday, Jun 11, 2007 - 06:07:19 pm CDT

Fire officials now say the fire that gutted Zion Church on Saturday started in a basement kitchen. But the cause remains under investigation, Chief Fire Inspector Bill Moody said Monday.

With fire under foot and breaking through the first floor, firefighters fought dangerous conditions to make sure no one was in the building, said Deputy Fire Chief Pat Borer.

He said firefighters went in with a handheld thermal imaging camera, which shows heat signatures in varying degrees of white, to help them search quickly for anyone who may be trapped inside.

Story Photo
D Street is closed as Zion Church awaits demolition. (Robert Becker)
Want to help?

Cornhusker Bank has established a recovery fund for Lincoln’s Zion Church to assist the church with its immediate financial needs following a fire that gutted its 80-year-old building Saturday. People can donate at any Cornhusker Bank branch by contributing to the Fire Recovery Fund. For more information, call Eric Case at 434-2233 or Teresa Elliott at 434-2245 at Cornhusker Bank.

No one was.

Where they used to find dangerous spots by touch or by step, Saturday the camera helped them spot a hole in the floor that a firefighter might otherwise have fallen into, Borer said.

Firefighters couldn’t see six inches in front of their faces in places inside because of the smoke, he said.

“It was a very hazardous fire for us to work in,” Borer said. “And one that concerned me.”

As it was, two firefighters ended up with minor injuries Saturday. One had heat exhaustion and the other a back injury from moving equipment, he said.

But it could have been worse.

Borer said firefighters got out of the church and within a matter of minutes there was an explosion — the result of oxygen mixing with smoke that had fire in it.

He said it didn’t help that the fire may have had a head start on them of an hour or more.

“When fire advances so far,” Borer said, “we were at a huge disadvantage.”

Moody said the church didn’t have a sprinkler system, and city fire inspectors don’t routinely inspect churches, as they do daycares and health clinics.

By 5 a.m., firefighters dispatched to Ninth and D saw flames shooting five to 20 feet out of the north basement windows of the church as they arrived.

Three hours later, they had the blaze under control, but parts of the building continued to burn after 8 a.m.

Borer said it was hard to work at the scene, with parishioners watching and some crying, knowing that they were doing what they could but that it wasn’t enough to save the Lincoln landmark.

The church sustained more than $2 million in damages, according to early estimates. Borer said they had insurance. And Cornhusker Bank has established a recovery fund for the church’s immediate needs.

There’s talk already about rebuilding.

Reach Lori Pilger at 473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com.


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Defense wrote on June 11, 2007 6:38 pm:
" LFR fights every fire defensive. "

 Thanks LFD wrote on June 11, 2007 8:08 pm:
" Thank you again to LFD for the work you do. Your service and the risks you take to keep us safe are so appreciated. "

 Response wrote on June 11, 2007 10:07 pm:
" To the person that wrote the Bold statement that LFR fights every fire defensive. Wake up! and quit hidding behind a blog! That statement is totally inaccurate and ridiculuous! "

 Duh wrote on June 11, 2007 10:42 pm:
" Of course they fight fires 'defensive'. There are criteria. Lives first. Then property assessment. If it can be saved, they do their best. If they think it's beyond saving as a whole, it's make sure it doesn't spread. How does 'defense' think fires are supposed to be dealt with? If you aren't careful things go horribly wrong. Are things worth more than lives? And, like it or not, the minute you have a major fire, nothing is really going to be saved. That which is not burned may have smoke damage. And water damage is gonna hit everything... "

 Cat wrote on June 11, 2007 10:43 pm:
" Another reason for sprinkler systems... "

 Zion Congregational Church Member wrote on June 11, 2007 10:59 pm:
" Just to give credit where credit is due the artist who painted the mural was David Manrose and the wording on top of the mural which read "Jesus Shall Reign" was first written in German and then later changed to English by LeRoy Walter. Another mural that was painted by Mr. Manrose was painted on the south wall of the old McCabe Piano and Organ store in downtown Lincoln of a little girl playing a grand piano. "

 Jeff Downing, Elder of Zion Church wrote on June 11, 2007 11:02 pm:
" We appreciate the tremendous response of LFD. It seemed as though every firetruck in Lincoln was on the scene. We know that the conditions were treachorous in such an old and towering structure. In addition to the tragedy of our church burning, we witnessed the valor of the LFD. We have been in prayer for the firefighters who were injured and we are thankful that they are recovering well from their injuries. Thank you for what you tried to do for our church and for all you do for our community. "

 OOO, come on.... wrote on June 11, 2007 11:36 pm:
" Defense... We know what your are trying to do. You may have a valid point here and there, but every? NO! Now please quit this! "

 Thrown Away wrote on June 12, 2007 10:05 am:
" We live in such a "throw away" society... While the fire, smoke and water did cause major damage to Zion, the shell of the building and a portion of the lower south end interior could have most likely been saved. Saving lives should always be first priority, but when you have a historic structure - an icon in the community - more care to save the building should have been taken. Historic structures sustain fires and are renovated or restored all over the world - Zion did not have to be an excpetion. Tearing half the east side down to investigate seems rather irresponsible. "

 SoldierInIraq wrote on June 12, 2007 11:17 am:
" Hindsite is always 20/20, but when you are on the line and need to make a decision, the decisions made may be the best solution at that time. If you are not with the LFD then you really have no right to make a critical comment on how they handeled the job. "

 Christian wrote on June 12, 2007 11:39 am:
" ... Its a building not the actual body of the church its self. They understand that but I wish the public understood that. Buildings don't make churches ... the people who choose to congregate or worship together inside of them are what matters. They will rebuild and move on. I'm glad no one was hurt and that the blaze was contained. "

 Architect wrote on June 12, 2007 11:43 am:
" After reviewing an extensive collection of photographs taken prior to the east wall demolition and since, the following is evident: the floor is still in tact in a majority of the building, the south end of the building is almost completely in tact except for the choir practice room above the entry hall, the entry hall appears to be in tact since the front windows remain and the doors into the sanctuary are not burned, the mini blinds in the front basement windows make it clear that the fire did not even reach the nursery, the basement walls in the area that was demolished are not burned and prior to it being torn out, the door and windows in the NE corner were not burned through. Plaster also still remains on the vast majority of the sanctuary walls, and the face of the balcony is only partially burned. The fire did burn through the alter floor which was located directly above the kitchen, and that destroyed the mural wall, but from there it appears the only other MAJOR damage is the ceiling and roof, the result of which is all the debris sitting on the pews still remaining in the sanctuary and balcony. So outside of an extensive clean up effort, renovating the north end of the building and replacing the ceiling and roof would have been possible. It really doesn't appear that Zion needed to be completely destroyed. How sad! It would have cost the church much less to repair than to ever replace with the same quality of construction. "

 Historic Structures... wrote on June 12, 2007 12:12 pm:
" Yes, some historic structures take fire damage and can be restored. But there are a lot of variables. First, like it or not, the fire was well underway before it was noticed. That really limits what they can do. Then comes the question of how stable the structure was post fire. What can look sound may not really be. And an 80 year old church is not built with the same stone as, say, Windsor Castle or Notre Dame. And, like it or not, they must discover the proper cause of the fire. Electrical or accidental is one thing. What if it had been arson? "

 Nina wrote on June 12, 2007 12:14 pm:
" When I was a little girl, my best friend's Dad, a firefighter, was killed fighting such a blaze, when he went looking for people and the church steeple caved in on him. I'm so glad we have equipment to lessen the danger today, but it still is a risky endeavor. "

 Reply to Hist. Struct. wrote on June 12, 2007 1:16 pm:
" You are right - the LFD obviously had to investigate and determine the cause of the fire. I think the comment was on the fact that they tore away half of the east side to do so, which made any possible restoration of the building all the more unlikely. "

 Thankful wrote on June 12, 2007 1:39 pm:
" Let us just be thankful no lives were taken in the fire. Nothing except that matters...Nothing. "

 Zion Congregational Church Member wrote on June 12, 2007 5:28 pm:
" I have been reading all the comments from the people and it is quite obvious who were the families of the long ago members who through much sweat construted a most beautiful and strong standing church. Yes, I too think everyone is in a hurry to destroy the church. When you have architects writing in to tell you there is still hope for the church then I think the insurance company needs to be waking up and checking things out thoroughly. I find it commendable that these people are giving of their time to take pictures and check on the church and can say it can still be saved. People are writing in now to defend the LFD which shouldn't be necessary. If they think they can do better try to get a job there. I was taught to keep quiet until you walk in someone elses shoes and believe me I wouldn't want to walk in any fire-fighters shoes. The issue here is the church and I strongly believe in what the architect(s) said. Why not investigate every possible way to save the church and let the people of the church go back to praying together. I think the people of the church, if they feel they are true christians, should stand together and rebuild the church and if contributions are coming in then they should be spent on saving the church on 9th & "D" street not on building a modern church with no character like the true ZION. It's walls are strong like the people who built them. "

 Linda Wilgocki from Columbus wrote on June 12, 2007 9:05 pm:
" I'm so sorry to read of the loss of your beautiful church. I am the mother of Tammy Clark that was a member there at one time and I know she would be sadden by the tragedy.I became acquainted with some of her friends there and I know they must feel a great loss. My sincere sympathy and prayers are with you at this time.We have found it true that God never leaves us nor forsakes us. God bless you on all your decisions. "

 Chase Stokey wrote on June 19, 2007 1:59 pm:
" I was sad to see the church go. I wasn't a member but I have a sad feeling about it and I have the congregation in my prayers. "

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