PHOTOS: Massive flames could be seen shooting from an abandoned Cleveland church early Thursday morning.
The building was fully engulfed as SkyFOX was over the scene shortly before 7:30 a.m. The church, located near the corner of E. 91st Street and Miles Park, has been identified as the former Pentecostal Determine Church of God. According to the Cuyahoga County Auditor’s website, the church was built in 1872.
Fire officials said the building is vacant and no injuries were reported.
Fire officials also said the building is four stories tall and there was concern walls could collapse. Fire crews battled the blaze from the outside and said they would only enter the building if they believed someone was inside. Officials noted the roof of the church had previously collapsed before the fire started, and there was other prior structural damage to the building as well.
WJW-TV FOX 8 Cleveland
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VIDEO: Dozens of people have been displaced after a fire at an assisted living facility in Hillsboro on Wednesday afternoon.
The fire started around 12 p.m. at Bell Gardens Place on Harry Sauner Road.
The Paint Creek Fire Department said it started as a dumpster fire that made its way into the kitchen of Trustwell Living at Bell Gardens Place, which is an independent living facility.
Thirty firefighters were dispatched to the fire with the help of a nearby church and school. None of the firefighters suffered injuries.
All 36 residents have been displaced, the fire department said. One of the residents was taken to an area hospital for an unknown reason.
A spokesperson for Trustwell Living said, "Most residents went home with family members in the area while others transferred to another Trustwell Living community nearby and others and temporarily housed in other senior facilities nearby."
WLWT-TV NBC 5 Cincinnati
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The city of Rocky River is taking many calls about a “strange” odor.
“It smells very strong, swampy, oily, and like something is rotting,” Rocky River Fire Chief Aaron Lenart told Fox 8 News Wednesday.
Lenart said he wants to reassure residents there’s not a safety or health issue, but he said the smell is “bad.”
Lenart said construction crews are building new condos along Hilliard Avenue south of I-90 and an oil well, from around 1910, was found.
The wells were dug by homeowners or farmers to heat their homes over a hundred years ago and the well needed to be capped for environmental reasons before construction can continue.
A subcontractor was digging to cap the well but punctured it releasing a strong odor of natural gas and an oily smell, according to Lenart.
WJW-TV FOX 8 Cleveland
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