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Sept. 11, 1969
HARTINGTON — The Hartington Volunteer Firemen were called out twice last weekend.
The first call came about 3 a.m. Friday morning from the Alfred Andersen home about 10 miles northeast of Hartington.
Earlier in the evening there had been a severe thunderstorm , sharp lightning and heavy rain. It is believed that lightning hit the house, causing the blaze. The Andersons had retired at the usual hour and Mrs. Anderson said she didn’t really know what had awakened her, but when fully roused, she thought she smelled smoke.
She then went to the stairway door and when she opened it, it was filled with smoke. She rushed to call for help, then went to the kitchen and found it filled with smoke, too.
By that time, Mr. Anderson was roused and they began moving articles out of the house. With the help of neighbors and some members of the Hartington and Wynot Fire Departments, they removed most of the furniture from the dining room, living room and bedroom. However, it was impossible to save the house.
A second fire call came at 1 a.m. Sunday morning when it was discovered that the SunGlo Bowling Alley at the east edge of Hartington was afire.
The fire was so far advanced by the time firemen arrived just a few minutes later that the facility could not be saved. None of the contents could be salvaged. Mr. and Mrs. Louis Forinash have been operating the alley the past year and had just opened for the 1969-70 season. Open bowling had been held Saturday evening. When they left the place at 11:30 p.m., all seemed to be in order.
The frame Quonset type building was owned by Enoch Isrealson of Hartington.
The bowling alley had been closed to make about $4,000 in repairs from vandalism which took place there in August when the automatic pin-setter had been damaged and lacquer poured in the gutters. Cause of the fire has not been definitely stated, although the state fire marshall was in town Sunday to examine the ruins.
