Comments on: Tragedy in Cambridge, MA

By: Mark N.

Mark N. — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:19:05 +0000

We had a fire in our attic a couple of years ago, and even though most of the damage was from the ceiling up, the entire house had to be rebuilt; only the frame from the original house remains, along with some of the tile flooring.

Sometimes it’s just 10-year-old (or older) wiring that decides it’s had enough for some strange reason.

By: Rumor, F.P.

Rumor, F.P. — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:41:52 +0000

I heard today that the Presiding Bishopric confirmed that rebuilding is the plan.

By: TT

TT — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:57:41 +0000

An amazing set of pictures here: http://picasaweb.google.com/luke.hutch/LongfellowParkMeetinghouseFire20090517#

By: Proud Daughter of Eve

Proud Daughter of Eve — Mon, 18 May 2009 12:29:00 +0000

An ATF investigation MAY be undertaken? I’d certainly hope so. Sounds like arson to me.

By: Secco

Secco — Mon, 18 May 2009 03:35:17 +0000

Here are some additional updates as of this evening. Dramatic photos and video taken by a member at the scene are posted here. The fire department still has custody of the building as of 11pm Sunday night. Once it is released, the restoration company that the church has hired will board up the first floor windows (per City of Cambridge) and then start cleaning out the inside. Decisions about rebuilding with the facade intact versus total tear-down are still pending. The steeple sits on an i-beam frame which has been warped by the 1100-degree fire (so one of the firemen told me) and the structural engineers indicated that this made the steeple structurally unstable, and therefore it will most likely be taken down by crane in the next few days. Because a church catching fire with attendees inside is unusual, an ATF investigation may be undertaken.

By: Lee

Lee — Mon, 18 May 2009 01:40:38 +0000

I hope the Church builds a new building that looks to “blend in” with the neighborhood and not a cookie cutter meetinghouse.

By: Proud Daughter of Eve

Proud Daughter of Eve — Sun, 17 May 2009 19:34:35 +0000

With calling it a “tragedy” and then leading in with “at first everyone thought the fire alarm was fake,” I was thinking people had died. It is very sad and I’m sorry for the people grieving a place what was special to them, but you had me terribly worried there!

By: TT

TT — Sun, 17 May 2009 18:14:01 +0000

More info and testimonials: http://bycommonconsent.com/2009/05/17/in-memoriam-the-cambridge-mass-chapel/

By: Dan

Dan — Sun, 17 May 2009 17:34:15 +0000

Here are more pictures.

By: TT

TT — Sun, 17 May 2009 16:37:45 +0000

I found another pic on twitter: http://twitpic.com/5d3vl