No one was injured and the building was not occupied, said Fire Chief Thomas Eickelberger. However, he confirmed it was “freshly renovated.” Damages are estimated to be $100,000, but couldn’t confirm Friday morning if it was a total loss.
The 911 caller who reported the first was across the street on his way to work.
“The whole place is on fire,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s someone’s residence or not.”
German Village is a registered historic district with the National Register of Historic Places. The neighborhood contains many notable landmark buildings. The structure that caught fire is an Italianate-style home built in the late 1870s, according to Brad Spurlock, a historian with the Lane Libraries.
“It was originally the home of Amanda J. Hutchison, a widow, but she didn’t live there long before moving,” he said. Since then, the building had a series of residential and commercial occupants.
The current owner is listed as Hamilton Village Properties LLC, an entity that also owns multiple buildings along that section of the street. The total valuation of 339 N. Third St. is $82,500, according to the auditor’s office.
The fire chief told the Journal-News that crews were overhauling it and hitting the hot spots just after 7:30 a.m. He did not say what time the fire was reported, and it remains under investigation.
About the Author
