Black marks streaking up from the heat registers at St. Clare Church in Altamont show how smoke can damage interior surfaces, even when a fire is quickly contained. A sacristan working in the church on Saturday, Nov. 3, noticed smoke rising from the registers and alerted Father John Savoree to the fire in the basement furnace. ALTAMONT - A furnace fire caused smoke damage to St. Clare Church in Altamont on Saturday, Nov. 3. A sacristan who was working in the church that afternoon noticed smoke coming up through the heat registers and notified parochial administrator Father John Savoree, who discovered flames shooting out of the furnace.

 

The Altamont Volunteer Fire Department responded to the call and put out the fire, which apparently caused no structural damage. The brick church, which is located at 216 N. Ninth St., was built in 1924, said Father Savoree.

St. Clare parishioners attended Sunday Mass at St. Mary Church in St. Elmo. Father Savoree said he expects to celebrate Mass for St. Clare parishioners at St. Mary Church, where he is also parochial administrator, until the damage is cleaned up.

Insurance inspectors were in Altamont on Nov. 5 to access the damage which appeared to be "smoke damage to the church proper and four classrooms that are in the basement of the church," said Dan James, associate director for insurance for the Springfield diocese.  

"This fire just proves how important it is to routinely check your heating and air-conditioning units," said James.