(a) The Fire Department shall be under the direction of the Fire Chief.
(b) The Fire Chief and members of the city’s Fire Department shall have all the powers, immunities, and privileges granted to such persons by law respecting the performance of their duties and for acts concerning the safety of persons and property relating to the extinguishment of fires, the spreading of fire, fire protection and the diminishing of the risk of fire.
(c) The Fire Chief or any of his authorized subordinates may cause any building to be pulled down or destroyed, when he or they deem it necessary in order to arrest the progress of a fire. In such case no action shall be maintained against the city or any person therefor. If any person having an interest in such building shall apply to the Council within three (3) months after the fire for damages or compensation for such buildings, the Council may pay him such compensation as it may deem just. The Council may ascertain the amount of such damage or compensation by agreement with the owner of the property, or by the appraisal of a jury selected in the same manner as in the case of juries selected to appraise damages for the taking of property for public use. In making any award under authority of this section, the Council or the jury, as the case may be, shall credit against the damages arising out of the pulling down or destruction of the building, any insurance recoverable by all persons having an interest in such property. No awards shall be made under authority of this section on account of any loss which could reasonably be expected to have occurred to a building because of the fire, if it had not been pulled down or destroyed under authority of this section. In no event shall such award give weight to or take into consideration any loss of revenue from or damages for loss of occupancy of any building so pulled down or destroyed.