Cliff Williams / The Outlook Looking up into the bell tower of the First United Methodist Church Alexander City reveals the open roof structure following Tuesday’s fire. ACFD chief Reese McAlister said it was a difficult fire to extinguish because of its elevation and firefighters couldn’t fight it from the top and bottom at the same time.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook The steeple at First United Methodist Church is still open to the elements following Tuesday’s fire. A structural engineer is scheduled to look at the structure next week.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook The Alexander City Fire Department was able to use a table and heavy duty canvas to create dam preventing much of the water used to extinguish the blaze from getting into the church.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook K’Fitzgerald Crittenden with ServePro removes carpet from First United Methodist Church Thursday. Some of the water from fighting the fire in the bell tower made its way into the church.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook Tuesday night it was thought the bell of First United Methodist Church fell in the bell tower. It turns out it was a speaker shaped like a bell that fell during the fire.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook The steeple at First United Methodist Church is still open to the elements following Tuesday’s fire. A structural engineer is scheduled to look at the structure next week.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook The steeple at First United Methodist Church is still open to the elements following Tuesday’s fire. A structural engineer is scheduled to look at the structure next week.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook The steeple at First United Methodist Church is still open to the elements following Tuesday’s fire. The Alexander City Fire Department could only set up its ladder truck on Semmes Street because of power lines along Green Street.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook The Alexander City Fire Department was able to use a table and heavy duty canvas to create dam preventing much of the water used to extinguish the blaze from getting into the church.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook Looking up into the bell tower of the First United Methodist Church Alexander City reveals the open roof structure following Tuesday’s fire. ACFD chief Reese McAlister said it was a difficult fire to extinguish because of its elevation and firefighters couldn’t fight it from the top and bottom at the same time.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook Zachary McCall with ServePro removes carpet from First United Methodist Church Thursday. Some of the water from fighting the fire in the bell tower made its way into the church.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook K’Fitzgerald Crittenden, left, and Zachary McCall with ServePro removes carpet from First United Methodist Church Thursday. Some of the water from fighting the fire in the bell tower made its way into the church.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook K’Fitzgerald Crittenden with ServePro removes carpet from First United Methodist Church Thursday. Some of the water from fighting the fire in the bell tower made its way into the church.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook K’Fitzgerald Crittenden with ServePro removes carpet from First United Methodist Church Thursday. Some of the water from fighting the fire in the bell tower made its way into the church.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook Tuesday night it was thought the bell of First United Methodist Church fell in the bell tower. It turns out it was a speaker shaped like a bell that fell during the fire.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook The steeple at First United Methodist Church is still open to the elements following Tuesday’s fire. A structural engineer is scheduled to look at the structure next week.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook The steeple at First United Methodist Church is still open to the elements following Tuesday’s fire. A structural engineer is scheduled to look at the structure next week.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook The steeple at First United Methodist Church is still open to the elements following Tuesday’s fire. The Alexander City Fire Department could only set up its ladder truck on Semmes Street because of power lines along Green Street.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook The Alexander City Fire Department was able to use a table and heavy duty canvas to create dam preventing much of the water used to extinguish the blaze from getting into the church.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook Looking up into the bell tower of the First United Methodist Church Alexander City reveals the open roof structure following Tuesday’s fire. ACFD chief Reese McAlister said it was a difficult fire to extinguish because of its elevation and firefighters couldn’t fight it from the top and bottom at the same time.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook Zachary McCall with ServePro removes carpet from First United Methodist Church Thursday. Some of the water from fighting the fire in the bell tower made its way into the church.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook K’Fitzgerald Crittenden, left, and Zachary McCall with ServePro removes carpet from First United Methodist Church Thursday. Some of the water from fighting the fire in the bell tower made its way into the church.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook K’Fitzgerald Crittenden with ServePro removes carpet from First United Methodist Church Thursday. Some of the water from fighting the fire in the bell tower made its way into the church.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook K’Fitzgerald Crittenden with ServePro removes carpet from First United Methodist Church Thursday. Some of the water from fighting the fire in the bell tower made its way into the church.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook Most of First United Methodist Church remained largely undamaged after Tuesday’s fire.
Timing of calls to 911, staffing and extra equipment all played roles in keeping the fire damage to just the bell tower. The timing also allowed for far less water entering the sanctuary. But the fire also was a siren for issues with the city’s water distribution in the area of the church and downtown which could be more than 100 years old.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook Looking up into the bell tower of the First United Methodist Church Alexander City reveals the open roof structure following Tuesday’s fire. ACFD chief Reese McAlister said it was a difficult fire to extinguish because of its elevation and firefighters couldn’t fight it from the top and bottom at the same time.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook The steeple at First United Methodist Church is still open to the elements following Tuesday’s fire. A structural engineer is scheduled to look at the structure next week.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook The Alexander City Fire Department was able to use a table and heavy duty canvas to create dam preventing much of the water used to extinguish the blaze from getting into the church.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook K’Fitzgerald Crittenden with ServePro removes carpet from First United Methodist Church Thursday. Some of the water from fighting the fire in the bell tower made its way into the church.
