Historic Westclox building burns

A piece of history has been damaged in Peru.  The century-old Westclox building caught fire moments before 2012 arrived.  The four-block long, two-block wide former clock factory currently houses several retail and other businesses but also includes numberous unused multi-story buildings.  The complex, located on Fourth Street in Peru, lit up shortly before midnight and smoke could still be seen rising from the building this morning.  Residents in the area were evacuated and streets nearby closed to traffic as strong winds carried smoke and ash across the city.  As many as 20 fire departments assisted.  No word yet on the cause of the blaze.  The Westclox building is on the National Register of Historic Places.