The old Prairie Rose Building, and Newell High School wrestling practice gym, is now a pile of smoking rubble and ice.
"It's going to be devastating to the kids you know," said Newell Fire Chief Andy Howie.
Howie says the fire at the one-story building was reported around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, shortly after the wrestling team left for the evening. When crews arrived smoke was pouring out of the back of the building. Firefighters battled flames and the bitter cold for nearly 7 hours.
"That was our big thing, keeping everything thawed out," Howie said.
Firefighters were able to save neighboring buildings, a bank, and the post office, but both have minor smoke and water damage.
Country Glamour Salon Owner LuAnn Youngberg says she watched the whole scene unfold from a window across the street.
"It was pretty scary, and I worried about my own building too," Youngberg said.
Youngberg says the building's owner and Newell High School Wrestling Coach Bill Able put a lot of work into the facility, installing showers and lockers in the old wood frame building.
"It's sad, it's really sad, I feel bad for them," Youngberg said.
While loss of the building will be a blow to the community's youth, Howie says he's grateful the fire was contained to the area. That's thanks, he says, to the tremendous response from surrounding communities.
"We were calling them, and they were coming anyway," Howie said.
Howie says around 70 firefighters showed up from volunteer fire departments including Belle Fourche, Sturgis, Fort Meade, Nisland, Vale, Castle Rock, and Mud Butte.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, although a space heater is a suspected source.
The scene of the fire in Downtown Newell
