A well-known landmark in the Halbstadt area disappeared from the landscape Sunday afternoon. The Halbstadt store, which was originally constructed in 1904, was

part of a controlled burn by Altona/Rhineland Emergency Services.

"The store was in a dilapidated condition where the roof and floors have collapsed. We decided to help the owner out by using it as a practice by burning the building down," said Fire Chief Greg Zimmerman.

Zimmerman explains how his crew is able to gain valuable experience from the controlled burn.

"This particular building will not allow us to enter the building or do interior attacks, but it does give some of our younger people an opportunity to learn some of the pumping evolutions, the tanker operations, exterior fire attack and exposure protection."

The Halbstadt store had served the area for almost a century before it closed in 2000.

 

 

 

Moments after the store front collapsed