The Steeple is On Fire!

Tuesday, August 21, 1974 was like most other lazy August days.  A storm front had passed through the night before significantly reducing the humidity level and a warm breeze periodically filled the air. 

This particular Tuesday, however, would soon prove to be like none other for this otherwise quiet little hamlet on a warm August day.

Shortly around 1:00 p.m. that afternoon sirens from our local fire trucks signaled that something of major proportion was on fire.  This otherwise 'sleepy' town was awakened. 

Soon crowds began to gather up and down main street, looking and pointing to the west. 

At the time of the fire, the building itself was 101 years old.  The steeple structure rose 213 feet high and on top of the steeple was mounted a 14 foot high steel cross.  It was, and still is the highest point in the City of Watertown.

The only piece of fire equipment that could come close to assisting in putting out the blaze was our 'Hook & Ladder' truck.  Fully extended, the ladder rose 121 feet into the air.  The Hook & Ladder was pulled up on the north side of the structure, and fire fighters pumped thousands of gallons of water on the blaze in an effort to extinguish it. 

If you look at the picture very closely, on the left side of the photo, you can see the firefighter at the very top of the ladder.  The fire is being fought in this photo on the north side of the structure.

Because of mounting fears that the steeple could come crashing down if the fire couldn't be brought under control quickly enough, then Fire Chief Don Asmus put out a call for Mutual Aid to the Fire Departments of Oconomowoc, Jefferson, Ixonia and Johnson Creek.  Not long after the mutual aid request calls went out, trucks from the various communities began arriving on the scene.

Chief Asmus stated that the fire appeared to have started approximately 120 feet above ground level and that the fire was especially difficult to fight because of its location.  He stated that the interior of the steeple acted like a chimney, air rushing through it, increasing the flames.  There was also a considerable amount of wind on the exterior portion of the steeple which helped to extend the flames upward.

In addition to fighting the fire from outside of the structure, several firefighters were also sent inside of the steeple.  Reaching a sufficient height within the steeple conducive to fighting the fire meant the firefighters had to climb a number of staircases and then a series of old wooden ladders. 

The Watertown Daily Times reported that the Fire Department remained on the scene until 4:30 p.m. that afternoon, but were back within 20 minutes because a small amount of smoke was again detected.  The Firefighters dispatched the second time didn't return to the Fire Department until around 6:11 p.m.  As a precautionary measure, the hoses were left on the church grounds over night.

Thankfully only minor injuries had been reported by a few firefighters and damage from the fire was contained to the steeple and the church entrance. 

It was later determined that the insurance coverage was adequate to repair the front entrance and to return the steeple to it's original 'glory'.

A statement was released the next day by the parish pastor, Father Richard Papen, C.S.C. In his statement Papen praised the efforts of the personnel from the Watertown Fire Department and  the neighboring departments that provided mutual aid in fighting the fire.

Father Papen also praised the work of the Watertown Police Department during the incident.  Chaos had been avoided through the excellent job in controlling the ever growing crowd of curious bystanders and in their ability to maintain an excellent flow of traffic through an already busy intersection within the city. 

Father Papen concluded his statement by saying "The blessings through the years have been many at St. Bernard's and we realize that these uncertain events can take place.  It is through the community efforts as displayed by our fire and police departments that make us grateful once again today."

At the time of the fire, the outer bricks of the building were being cleaned as part of a larger restoration project.  It was workmen from the restoration company that first noticed and reported the fire.  On an interim basis, the holes in the steeple caused by the fire were patched up with large pieces of plywood.  The next day, State Fire Marshall Frank Roberts of Madison was called to the scene to investigate the cause of the fire.

  Acknowledgments

•  Information on this story was taken from the August 22, 1974 edition of the                 Watertown Daily Times. 

• Photo is courtesy of Mr. Ken Riedl and the Watertown Historical Society.