Sussex Downtown 1966 “Urban Renewal” Fire
Transcribed and Edited by Michael R. Reilly
Last Revised 05/03/2009
April 26, 1966 – Hundreds of spectators watchas the heart of the old Sussex business district went up in a holocaust. Amongthe spectators was the entire school population from Sussex Main Street School,who were let out of class because of the conflagration. Source: Yesteryear inSussex by Fred H. Keller, page 63; originally printed Sussex Sun,Tues., Apr. 17, 1976
1966 Sussex Fire Causes $60,000 inDestruction
by Fred H. Keller, April 27, 1976
Exactly 10 years ago Monday,Sussex experienced one of its biggest fires in history. A 60-year-old 2 storyframe building, which formerly had been the village general store, was totallydestroyed. Units from 6 different fire departments fought the blaze, with themain concentration being directed toward saving adjacent buildings.
The efforts of the firemenwere successful in stopping the spread of the fire to a wooden 2 story apartmentjust 12 feet away. The strong prevailing wind was blowing directly towards theapartment. If the apartment building caught fire it undoubtedly would havespread to the Podolske Hardware Store and dwelling, too, which was tight upagainst the apartment building.
Lost in the estimated $60,000fire were 2 apartments, a coin operated laundromat, a tinsmith business and avacated store area. Anthony Schumann was the owner and a former proprietor ofthe general store that the building housed. For many years the Sussex PostOffice had used a section of the frame structure before it moved to the presentquarters.
The heat of the fire was sointense at times that firemen had to spray water on their trucks to stop paintfrom blistering.
The destroyed building stoodwhere the present parking lot for Sussex Sentry Store is.
