Episcopal Press and News

Diocese of West Tennessee Building Destroyed in Fire

Episcopal News Service. August 22, 2000 [2000-116_XX]

A 100-year-old building that served as the offices of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee in Memphis was destroyed in a two-alarm fire on Thursday, August 24. No one was injured in the afternoon blaze. Nearly 90 firefighters on the scene successfully kept the fire from spreading to St. Mary's Cathedral, next door to the three-story diocesan offices. The fire was under control within 90 minutes. The stone building, which once served as the bishop's residence, was under renovation. Workers were in the process of removing paint from exterior windows with blowtorches as well as scrapers. A spokesman for the Memphis Fire Department said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.