Building's Owner Now Says Burned Structure To Be Razed

MUSKOGEE, Okla. (AP) _ An owners of a historic 116-year-old building in Muskogee that was heavily damaged in a fire last week now says the building will have to be demolished. <br/><br/>Judy McKie said

Tuesday, December 19th 2006, 3:46 pm

By: News On 6

MUSKOGEE, Okla. (AP) _ An owners of a historic 116-year-old building in Muskogee that was heavily damaged in a fire last week now says the building will have to be demolished.

Judy McKie said earlier she hoped the Severs Block Building could be saved but now says an engineer has determined the building could collapse with the weight of snow.

The building caught fire early Friday morning and the roof collapsed onto the second floor.

McKie says authorities have told her the fire started in a wooden structure behind the building and that there are indications of arson.

A plaque on the building says it was built in 1890 to house the First National Bank of Muskogee. Local historian Roger Bell says the bank was the first bank in what is now Oklahoma.