Fire destroys New Prague business

A fire destroyed the JR Services shop on Highway 21 (Helena Blvd.), just north of New Prague Thursday morning, Dec. 7.

The New Prague Fire Department was called to the scene at about 6:45 a.m. Business owner John Bendzick reportedly went into the shop and smelled smoke, then called the fire department. He said the fire started in the chimney and ceiling area of the building.

Firefighters not only had to battle the blaze, but also the extreme cold, as temperatures were in the sub-zero range Thursday morning. Firefighters from New Market, Jordan, Belle Plaine and Montgomery were called in on mutual aid to bring water to the scene and three fire hydrants on 12th Street NW, west of the New Prague High School and less than a mile from the fire, were in near constant use by firefighters filling tankers.

By 9:15 a.m., most of the fire had been contained and the building had collapsed, which made it difficult for firefighters to put out the remaining fire. There was some concern that tanks containing oxygen and acetylene for welding were in danger of exploding, and firefighters were waiting for a backhoe to come to the scene so they could move part of the building back to get at the fire.