It was a busy morning in County Clay. Judge Alsop was handling docket and grand jury updates, County Commission was preparing to meet as was the Broadband Development Committee. Early morning temps stood at 11 degrees.
 Around 9am this morning, the first calls of a fire at the old Fairview Church came over the 911 scanner. The three families living there ran out the doors with just what they were wearing. By 9:15am gray to black smoke billowed around the neighborhood.

   Residents reported that there was aloud Boom in the upstairs section of the building just below the old steeple. One lady said she heard the boom followed by an upstairs door blow up with flames right behind it.
   Another resident at the apartment complex reported there had been electrical problems there including circuit panel boxes awaiting repair parts. Another panel box had issues with the main cut off switch.
  Just Tuesday evening, one day prior, the natural gas supplier had been there but refused to turn on the gas supply due to leaks in the system.

   By noon, the structure fire was mostly out. Flames were still popping up in various parts of the now totaled frame building. Also at the that time, a Red Cross van was pulling onto the scene. As to where the residents will be hanging their hats tonight, your guess is as good as any.

   By 3pm Wed., the smoke had cleared and here's what was left of the old Fairview Baptist Church. Tonight we have three families minus a place to live. There is some good news. No one died, no other buildings were damaged ad there were no injuries (that's we've heard of).
AW