A circa-1965 four-story downtown building bookmarked by two landmarks caught fire today. 36 Church Street, home to law firm Paul William Beltz LLC caught fire shortly after noon. The office building is located between the historic Guaranty Building at Church and Pearl and the Verizon Building at Church and Franklin.
The Buffalo Fire Department brought in significant resources, quickly escalating the incident to four alarms. The fire was declared under control after three hours. Three tower ladders were pouring water on the building. Crews have had difficulty ventilating the fire as the upper floor windows fronting Church Street are decorative with masonry block behind it.
According to radio traffic, the building’s roof and skylight are sagging and an excavator is on scene to assist in exposing hot spots. Give the fire crews a standing ovation, the fire did not spread to it historic neighbors but smoke was been reported in the Verizon Building.
UPDATE: The neighboring Guaranty Building suffered $750K in structural damage, and $150,000 of internal damage, which is actually a miracle considering the potential loss. For updates, visit Buffalo Fire Department-Helmets & Hose Wagons.