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Authorities today began dig ging into the charred ruins of Wabash Avenue buildings to determine the cause of the March 20 fire that destroyed a 225-foot section in the heart of downtown Terre Haute. They were prevented from launching the probe earlier be cause of the lingering heat from the still-smouldering rub ble which has made extensive excavations impossible. The investigation is headed by Bernard Sweeney, chief in vestigator for the Indiana state fire marshal’s office. The blaze, most disastrous in the city’s history, caused an estimated $3.3 million damage before it was brought under control after an eight-hour battle in high winds that some times reached a velocity of 30 miles per hour. A basement bowling alley where the fire started and an appliance store on Sixth street, seven stores and two empty store buildings on Wabash avenue and five offices on the second floor of the Deming Building were de molished. A report that businessmen affected by the fire would apply for low-interest federal loans to rebuild their stores was corrected by Mayor Ralph Tucker yesterday. After discussing the matter with Russell J. Craven, Federal Area Redevelopment Adminis tration director of Indianapolis, Mayor Tucker said it was de cided that the insurance cov erage of the burned out busi nesses made it unnecessary to apply for the loan. He further stated there was doubt whether unemployment caused by the fire was sufficient to justify
Newspaper Details
Terre Haute Tribune
Terre Haute, Indiana, US
Mon, Mar 25, 1963
Page 9
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 15 Jul 2026
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