CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Euclid Avenue Congregational Church of the United Church of Christ was destroyed overnight in a massive fire The city’s demolition crew is there now mapping out a plan to remove the tons of bricks left behind.
A firefighter’s eye was injured by debris, but no one else reported being hurt.
Firefighters were called about midnight, when lightning may have struck the historic building next to the Cleveland Clinic. Smoke entered two clinic buildings through air vents, but didn’t harm anyone, a spokesman said.
There were still eerily glowing hot spots in the rubble at 7:30 this morning.
Motorists are asked to avoid the area; Euclid Avenue near East 97th Street will be closed until the remaining brick walls are knocked down. Eastbound traffic is being stopped at East 93rd Street.
“For now, it is business as usual at Cleveland Clinic today,” spokesman Scott Heasley said in an e-mail at 7:30 a.m.
“As a safety precaution, we did move approximately eight patients within our Miller building to the opposite end of the building. Smoke did get into two of our buildings through the air vents (Miller and Glickman) but there is no concern for patients or staff from the church fire.”
“We continue to monitor the impact of the church fire to any of our buildings. We are asking anyone coming to Cleveland Clinic today to use Carnegie or Chester avenues as alternate routes, since Euclid Avenue is closed eastbound between East 100th and East 96th streets. “Story From The Plain Dealer.
