1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow: EMC fire tests new waterworks system

MARCH 1, 1960—On Monday afternoon, a Steinbach landmark, the old South End Evangelical Mennonite Church, went up in flames. The building had served its congregation for more than 40 years and the loss, in itself, was not a tragic one.

The attention of the entire town and community consequently was not so much centered on the flaming building as it was on the new $130,000 church edifice still not completed, standing only a few feet from the blazing inferno.

It was by this dramatic illustration that Steinbach citizens were given to realize another value of their recently installed waterworks system. It was the first major fire in town since the waterworks system was installed in 1956, and the result of the church fire left no doubt that the water system was living up to expectations.

The Steinbach fire brigade, good as it is, would have been helpless to save the new church building had it not been for the endless amount of water available.

It is also a matter of speculation as to how much else could have gone up in flames, had the larger building caught fire.

All in all, it can be said that a good percentage of the town’s million-dollar waterworks system was paid for on Monday evening.

The efficiency of the Steinbach Fire Brigade, together with a proven waterworks system, should help to convince the Board of Fire Underwriters that a much better insurance rate is in order for Steinbach.