No Cleanup Since Fire at 1850s Indiana Building

The owner of a former department store building in Vincennes, Ind., dating to the 1850s destroyed by fire last month has told city officials he doesn’t have the money to clean up the rubble.

The Dec. 17 fire gutted the Old Gimbel Corner building and crews tore down its weakened walls days later.

New Mayor Joe Yochum took office on Sunday and tells the Vincennes Sun-Commercial that he plans to meet soon with the city attorney to decide how to proceed. Yochum says he doesn’t want the downtown site to be left in its current condition for long.

City Councilman Scott Brown suggested the city might take possession of the property in exchange for taking care of the cleanup, then look to sell the site.