Community Corner
20 Years Ago, Flames Engulfed Water Tower Roof
Lightning struck the Tower Historical Society, but firefighters saved most of the artifacts.
Lightning struck the historic Water Tower in Western Springs on August 30, 1991, at around midnight, and the fire smoldered until flames broke through around 5 a.m.
According to records at the Western Springs Historical Society, flames shot 30 feet into the air. Firefighters from 11 area municipalities and fire protection districts fought the fire for about three hours, using Westmont's ladder truck to reach the top.
Most of the museums precious artifacts were saved thanks to quick thinking by the Western Springs Fire Department. The firefighters laid down tarps to avoid too much water damage as they put out the fire.
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The Village, which maintains the Water Tower structure, repaired the roof and other damages and volunteers from the Western Springs Historical Society worked to dry things out and re-design the exhibits inside the museum.
Were you there when the fire happened? What do you remember?
