Council Approached About Sharing Cost of Hospital Fire Statue

(COMMISSIONER MOELLER)

Effingham City Council members Tuesday decided to look into the placement of a statue commemorating the 75th anniversary of the St. Anthony Hospital fire.

The statue would be located on the hospital grounds, according to City Commissioner Libby Moeller. A location is yet to be determined.

Moeller asked her fellow Council members to consider the City contributing $15,000 toward the project. That amount is roughly half the anticipated cost of the statue. The Effingham Retired Firefighters Association, several of whom were on hand for the meeting, have indicated that they will work to raise the balance of the project cost.

The final design of the statue is yet to be decided but first thoughts, Moeller said, are that it would depict a nurse and a child. That image would reflect the sacrifices made by nurses the night of the fire to stay with babies who also perished in the blaze. 

Some 75 people died in the fire, which led to significant changes in hospital construction. 

The 75th anniversary of the fire will be on April 4, 2024.