ALTON - Alton Fire Chief Jesse Jemison hasn't made this decision very often but late Wednesday night, Feb. 28, 2024, he decided the Old Turner Hall Building had to immediately come down after the fire was extinguished.

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These are photos that took place during the demolition and were taken around 10:40 p.m. Wednesday in the process.

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He said only one other time has he made that type of decision - when the McDonald's on Broadway in Alton burned to the ground.. He said the reason for the move was because he worried about the safety of anyone in that vicinity.

Seiler Company came in and performed the demolition around 10:30 p.m. and finished about midnight, he said.

Jemison said he believes the fire was "very suspicious" and it was vacant before the blaze occurred.

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