We acknowledge the nancial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian

Heritage.

www.minnedosatribune.com
Vol. 131 No. 33 Friday, October 25, 2013




90 cents + tax

Now I understand how it feels to be the one on the other side of the call,
Tom English Rapid City Firefighter

Fire ravages Rapid City

By JENNIFER PAIGE n the early hours of October 21st, Rapid City residents, fire crew and town officials stood on the edge of a smoldering pile of rubble and watched as smoke streamed from the skeletal remains of what had been their town office and fire hall. Tom English, local Rapid City Firefighter for 28 years, has seen a lot of rural fire calls, but never thought that he would find himself on the other end. As fire inspectors dug through piles of fire hoses, oxygen tanks and the entire contents of a small town fire hall, English watched the smoke slowly spill from the pile of ashes wear his turnout gear once sat. Now I understand how it feels to be the one on the other side of the call. To be the person that has to stand and watch and there is nothing to do but wait for help to come, said English. English, along with his family and other Rap-

Photo by Jennifer Paige

The smouldering remains of two fire trucks sit among the debris Monday morning following a devastating fire which destroyed the Rapid City Fire Hall and Town Office.
id City firefighters, had been at the scene since the smoke was first spotted rising out of the building just after midnight on Monday, October 21st. I had already gone to bed and another fellow from the other end of town woke me up and he said there was smoke coming out of the fire hall. I got dressed and came up and sure enough, there was a lot of smoke, explained Morley Cornish, Rapid City Fire Chief. It was devastating. We couldnt do anything. All of our equipment was in the hall; all we could do was wait for Rivers, our mutual aid district partner to come in, said Cornish.

Tribune file photo

Continued on Page 9

The Rapid City Fire Hall as it appeared in July 2013.

Starting November 2, 2013 Kameleon Trunk Show Kick off Party from 9:30 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. New products, prizes and deals continuing until November 16, 2013. Kameleon Jewellery - affordable sterling-silver jewellery thats interchangeable. CHANGE IS NATURAL. 

)ORZHUVRQ0DLQ