Columbus firefighter honored six years after saving flag from temple fire

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A Columbus Fire Ladder Company returned Saturday to the scene of a fire it extinguished more than six years ago.

In January of 2016, Columbus KTC Buddhist Meditation Center on the corner of Richa Street and Grubb Street in downtown Columbus caught fire. The fire started outside the building and spread to the interior.

Saturday, Ladder-1 firefighter Mark Foster was recognized for his heroic actions of saving the temple’s symbolic prayer flag from the fire six years ago.

That flag became a positive symbol for the small congregation to rebuild after the fire.

At Saturday’s event, Foster said he feels honored to be the one chosen to place the flag atop KTC’s new meditation center.

“It’s an honor to be part of it and just represent the fire department in a positive image of what we do,” Foster said. “We help people and it’s an honor to come and do this again years later.”

Foster said someone took a picture of him rescuing the flag in 2016, so he was incredibly surprised the religious organization reached out to him for the dedication and flag-raising.