Fire causes extensive damage to historic house in Oswego

A fire caused extensive damage to a historic house in Oswego Wednesday.

Firefighters remain on the scene at 407 Main St. near downtown Oswego. Built in the 1900s, the house is called The Pillars because of the 36 pillars located in and around the house.

No one was in the house at the time of the fire.

“We’ve gotten some texts from them saying they’re OK,” said Jeremy Gehman, who is friends with the couple and was heartbroken at what happened. “Everyone is OK and their dog is OK.”

He attends church with the couple, Taylor and Laura Birkey, who have four children.

“They are close friends of ours,” he said. “They bought this property to try to open it up to friends and family and spend time together and do church together. They’ve done a lot of work to it in the time they’ve had it, especially on the carriage house, getting it ready for renters. They are passionate about their community. That’s who these people are.”

Dan Becvar also is friends with the couple. Becvar, who lives nearby, raced to the scene after hearing what had happened.

“The homeowner was doing homeschool with a friend of mine,” he said. “And they got a phone call from a neighbor saying, ‘Hey, your house is on fire.’ I got here maybe a half-hour after the fire department got here. The carport was already gone…It’s terrible. They are a great family and they were putting a lot of work into the house.”

According to the village of Oswego’s Facebook page, that section of Main Street remains closed as firefighters continue their work.

The village also announced that a boil order has been issued for the area from Main Street south to Route 71, Wilson Place on the north and Forest Avenue on the east because of a water main break in the old downtown area.

People may be experiencing low water pressure because of the water main break as well as the fire, according to the post.