A devastating fire engulfed Indiana's historic Ralph Waldo Emerson High School on Saturday night, prompting an outpouring of nostalgia and grief from former students on social media. The Gary Fire Department, supported by crews from Merrillville and Munster, battled the blaze that tore through the long-abandoned building.
The school, which was the first high school built in Gary, Indiana, holds an important place in local history. Built in 1909, it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1995. However, since its closure in 2008, the building had been left vacant, leading some residents to suggest which was the moment of its demolition.
The ferocity of the fire caused a major collapse of the building, and firefighters managed to extinguish the flames around 3.45am on Sunday. The incident is not the first of its kind, as a similar fire ravaged the building a few months ago. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in either incident.
The abandonment of the building had not only caused its physical deterioration but had also turned it into a crime scene. In 2015, a 17-year-old girl from Chicago was found strangled inside the old school, highlighting the darker side of its recent history.
Fire investigators are investigating the cause of the fire. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Gary Community School Corporation confirmed that the district no longer owns the Emerson building.
Despite its troubled recent past, the school's destruction has sparked strong emotions among its former students. Posts from former students on social media expressed their sadness at the loss of the building, with many reminiscing about their time there. As one former student said, “Gone, but your memories will forever be in our hearts. Class of '71.
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