ALBERTVILLE — A fire broke out at the Albertville Public Library on Tuesday night following a line of severe storms that swept across the state.
Albertville Fire chief Brent Ennis told 1819 News the fire was likely caused by lightning that struck the library around 9:45 p.m., which he confirmed with the National Weather Service.
He said his department got the call at 10:20 p.m. after a passerby reported flames shooting out of the library’s steeple on the top floor.
“When the guys initially got there, there were a lot of flames,” Ennis said. “They made entry into the structure, went upstairs, encountered heavy, heavy fire, so we backed back out and knocked it [the fire] down with an aerial device.”
Ennis said fire crews were able to reenter the building and finish putting out the fire, which took almost two hours.
“There’s significant damage to the structure. The whole second floor is pretty much destroyed, and all the contents are destroyed,” he said. “The bottom floor has got large amounts of water, of course, where we deluged it from the top.”
Click to enlarge.
Ennis said a “rare book” room on the top floor, along with its contents, was the only area to survive the fire damage.
“And we saved one cat,” he said, referring to the library’s mascot, Max. “I’ve had more calls and comments about that cat than anything.
Workers were on the scene Wednesday morning, assessing the damage and trying to salvage what they could.
The Library thanked the community for its prayers and support, and celebrated Max's rescue.
State Library Board Chair John Wahl offered his support to help the Albertville Library get back up and running.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone connected with the Albertville Public Library," Wahl said. "It's not easy to repair after something like this, and the APLS is ready to help if needed. Libraries are an important part of our communities, and we want to get Albertville back to full speed as soon as possible."
To connect with the story's author or comment, email [email protected] or find him on X and Facebook.
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
