150 + year old church burned on Saturday night. Southold Fire Department was dispatched to a smoke coming from a building at 23:31 hours. 2nd. Assistant Chief Craig Goldsmith was the first officer on the scene and called for a 13/35 working fire. He called for mutual aid from our neighboring departments, which is protocol. This insured us that we will have had plenty of help fighting this fire. We would like to thank our neighboring departments with their assistance in putting out this fire. Going from west to east. Mattituck, Cutchogue, Greenport, East Marion, Orient and Shelter Island Fire Departments. It is a great feeling knowing that you can count on your neighbors to help.

When the sun came up on Sunday you can see the extent of the fire damage. SFD called in an excavator to help with the over hall of the building to put out any fire that was trapped between the collapsed floors. While doing over hall the church bell was found and returned to the Pastor along with the sign above the rear door.

We would also like the thank Latham Sand & Gravel for help with the over hall.

First Universalist Church donated a bell to SFD in 1889 which we have mounted on a rock along side our Fire Department. At a ceremony on April 6, 1963 the bell was put in service it was used to notify the members of the department that we had a fire.

I would like to thank our neighboring departments for there help. I especially want to thank the members of Southold Fire Department for doing an outstanding job.

Peggy
8-4-30