Crime & Safety
Church of Scientology Building Catches Fire, $700,000 in Damages
Clearwater Fire and Rescue responded to a structure fire at 531 Franklin Street, owned by the Church of Scientology, at 3:28 a.m. Saturday.
An electrical fire caused $700,000 in damages to a building owned by the , city officials said.
Clearwater Fire and Rescue responded to a structure fire at 531 Franklin Street at 3:28 a.m. Saturday.
To put out the blaze the department needed 35 personnel, five engines, two trucks and two rescues. It took firefighters about an hour to get the fire under control, officials said.
The Church of Scientology purchased the property for $425,000 May 1993, according to county records.
Find out what's happening in Clearwaterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The market value is $1.2 million according to the Pinellas County Property Appraiser.
No civilians were injured, but two firefighters sustained minor injuries and another was transported to Morton Plant Hospital. He has since been released.
Find out what's happening in Clearwaterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here
