ALTON, Ill — Attorney Matt Kelly was leaving his law office in Alton on Wednesday when he saw flames shooting toward the night sky.  He said, “There were enormous flames coming out of the roof of the structure.”

German immigrants built Tuner Hall, a cultural center, in the 1800s, and it was the structure that was on fire. A wide range of events and social gatherings occurred at the building over several decades.

“It’s been empty for a number of years, but it’s got a lot of historical significance to the community,” said Kelly.

The Illinois State Fire Marshal is looking into the cause of the fire. Authorities said there were some preliminary indications that squatters may have been inside the building before the fire started.  One Alton firefighter suffered a minor injury during the response.

On Thursday, some residents visited the site and reflected on their family connections to the building.

“My grandpa was born in 1898 and he used to talk about how they used to come here,” said Tim Smith, an Alton resident.

After the fire was extinguished, part of the building was demolished due to safety concerns.  Roadblocks and yellow tape surrounded the pile of remaining bricks on Thursday.

Smith is friends with the building owner and said there is hope some of the structure can be used for a rebuild.  He said, “They’re going to use the foundation and use some of the stone and all that so they will be rebuilding.”

Alton resident Jake Tucker stopped to have a look at the rubble.  He said, “It’s part of who I am, and I think it’s part of everyone who lives here in Alton.”