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Muskogee, Oklahoma I had just finished the late shift at the hospital, and arrived home early that Christmas Morning in 1991. As always, I glanced out the back window of the house as I headed upstairs to bed. But sleep ended up being the last thing on my mind, as I noticed our backyard was full of smoke. At first I thought our garage was on fire (considering my car, it wouldn't have been a surprise). But then the wind shifted and I saw the true source of the billowing smoke: St. Paul's Methodist Church, across the street. I immediately grabbed my camera, ran out the back door, and arrived before the fire trucks. I snapped away until I was forced to leave the street due to the intense heat. I returned about 30 minutes later and took a few more as the fire was being beaten back by the firemen. Finally I went home to sleep, and awoke to find that my film had been confiscated in a door to door search by the Fire Chief. Thankfully the developed pictures were returned the next day, negatives and all. The cause of the fire was never satisfactorily explained. |