The old Chilton County Training School caught fire on Wednesday.

Firefighters on the scene expressed doubt that – because of the lack of a fire hydrant in the area and the presence of asbestos in the building – the blaze could be quenched. The structure was already in disrepair.

“I hate to see it happen,” said Bobby Agee, chairman of the CCTS Alumni Preservation Association. “I hated to see it in the condition it was in before.”