The bell in City Hall has been removed. (City of Fergus Falls)
Fergus Falls, MN – Crews were able to safely and successfully remove the bell from the top of Fergus Falls City Hall on Monday (September 22).
As a result, city staff says the building will reopen to the public Tuesday, though the front door will not immediately be accessible. Staff asks residents to use the east door of City Hall, nearest Mill Street as they assess the damage and necessary repairs.
Washington Avenue between Mill Street and Court Street will remain closed until the crane is disassembled and removed, which is anticipated to happen on Tuesday. Once the street has reopened, the front door of City Hall will be open to the public.
On Friday, city staff were assessing the condition of the bell tower when one side of the bell support shifted downward, which created a concern for its’ collapse. City Hall was immediately evacuated, and the area around it was cordoned off by Public Works, which included the closure of the 100 block of West Washington Avenue. Staff from Public Works and the Fire Department assisted engineers in assessing the collapse potential and developed a plan to secure the bell until final removal could take place.
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