(rshsdepot) Westminster, SC

["J. Henry Priebe Jr." <root_@_net.bluemoon.net>]

Sad news.

Henry


http://www.wspa.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSPA/MGArticle/SPA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128769395102

Westminster Landmark Destroyed By Fire

Carmen Coursey 
News Channel 7
Wednesday, January 18, 2006

A Westminster landmark has been gutted by fire.  The fire broke out Tuesday
night at the city's historic train depot on East Main Street.
    
It's been the site of countless weddings, festivals, and other events for over
a century.
  
More than 60 firefighters attacked flames tearing through their city's
historic train depot Tuesday night.  Jimmy Powell's lived in Westminster his
entire life. He owns a business just across the street from the depot and his
wife actually worked inside at the chamber of commerce.  He was on the scene
when the fire broke out.
   
Battling the blaze wasn't the only concern for those working inside. They also
had to worry about an oncoming train just feet away.

Officials were concerned train vibrations could cause the ceiling to cave in
on fire crews or cause even more structural damage.

So for Powell and others in Westminster Tuesday's fire may one day be just be
another memory of their old depot.

The town owns the depot, and Westminster City Council will have the final say
on whether to rebuild.  The depot was originally built in 1885, but it’s has
had numerous renovations over the years.  It was added to the national
registry of historic places 30 years ago.
    
Investigators are still searching for the cause of the fire but do not think
it was intentionally set.


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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #1287
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org