Friday, 7/7

Hey kids...welcome to our favorite word ever--

Repurposing.

You remember repurposing, right? When you take something intended for one forum and use it in another. Like when you write a newspaper article and then stick it in a blog because you're kinda busy and taking the quick way out?

See? NOW you remember repurposing.

8-)

So here's something that appeared in the Mining Journal a few days ago and now appears here. It IS topical, though, as it's something that's just a few days away. On that note, have a great weekend and if, for some bizarre reason, you see me walking around downtown Marquette looking at buildings, the following will explain why.

(jim@wmqt.com)

*****

It was one of the final fires to totally destroy a downtown Marquette building.  And it came with a question that has never been answered.

The fire that consumed the building housing Lord’s Outfitters in downtown Marquette set the community abuzz in February of 1971.  The structure, which sat on the southeast corner of Front and Spring Streets (now home to the Watermarq Suites), had been the long-time location of Tonella and Rupp, a furniture and household store that had changed its name to Lord’s Outfitters following the sale of the business in the mid 1950s.

According to Marquette City Fire Department records they received a call reporting the blaze at 8:36 pm the evening of February 19th, 1971.  Who made the call is unknown, although according to the official report it must have been someone who was nearby, as they reported “seeing smoke” coming from the building.

Both Marquette fire stations–including the Fire Station #1, located just a few hundred feet down Spring Street from Lord’s–immediately responded, and upon seeing the severity of the blaze quickly put out calls for assistance from nearby departments.  They were soon joined by firefighters from Chocolay Township and KI Sawyer Air Force Base, as well as 50 or so community volunteers.  

While they were fighting the fire, what the Mining Journal estimated as “thousands of spectators” lined the streets of the southern section of downtown Marquette, hoping to catch a glimpse of the inferno.

The fire spread quickly; the building’s sprinkler system seemed to not work, while the intense amount of smoke and heat hampered firefighters as they tried to first enter and then move about the structure.  According to the official report, several firefighters said they believed the fire started in the second or third floor elevator shaft of the building, which caused sparks and burning embers to rain down upon them.

Another issue firefighters had to deal with was the fact that over the years most of the windows of the building had been bricked up, cutting back on the number of access points for those looking for another way to enter.

Fighting the fire wasn’t just a strain on the Fire Department.  It was estimated that six million gallons of water was used to fight the blaze, which at the time was three times the daily use for the entire city.  Many residents reported low to non-existent water pressure in their homes while the fire raged.

After approximately 12 hours the flames had destroyed the structure.  No one died in the fire, although several individuals reported various injuries while battling the blaze.  Firefighters had, luckily, been able to stop the flames from spreading onto nearby buildings.  It wasn’t the end of their efforts, either.  They were called back to the site two days later when several hot spots flared up and started burning the wreckage.

Those hot spots were extinguished within an hour.

In all, it was estimated that the fire caused nearly half a million dollars in damage to both the business and the structure, one of the biggest losses in Marquette since the Opera House fire of 1938.  

No cause was ever found for the fire, nor, at least for the time being, the reason why the building’s sprinkler system failed to work.  However, a possible answer to the latter question was discovered several weeks later, when debris was being removed from the site.

According to Fire Department records, when excavators began removing debris from the basement of the structure, where water pipes entered the building, it was found that “the main water supply valve to the sprinkler system in the south half of the building had been shut off”.

The question of how (or why) the valve had been shut off was never answered.

***********

Stories just like this will be shared during the “Burn Baby Burn: The Infernos of Downtown Marquette” walking tour put on by the Marquette Regional History Center,  The tour, led by Jim Koski, will get underway at 6:30 Wednesday, July 12th at the History Center.  There’s a $5 suggested donation.  To find out more about the tour or any History Center program visit www.marquettehistory.org or call (906) 226-3571