Yesterday my church burned down. When I left, the brick exterior was still standing and the fire department was doing all they could to keep the flames off the steeple so that it wouldn't fall, but the roof had pretty much entirely collapsed, the heat from the flames had blown all the windows out, the the building looked pretty much gutted.
It started when we were sitting listening to broadcast for a multi-stake conference, and the fire alarm went off. I thought that it was a little irritating that the fire alarm would malfunction during the middle of a conference, but after a second I started to smell a hint of smoke in the air. The presiding authority then stood up and instructed everyone to exit the building quietly.
As I looked back after exiting the building, I saw smoke pouring from the roof and a little bit of smoldering in the eaves of the building over the chapel. When the fire department arrived, I think that they first were trying to stop the fire locally by going into the building with fire extinguishers and by cutting holes in the roof. Within a few minutes though, there were huge flames all over the roof and they realized that it was more important just to keep the flames from spreading to some of the houses that were only feet from the burning chruch.
It was really impressive to watch. The fire got so hot that you could feel it from across the street. At one point, the heat also blew all the windows out and caused the roof to collapse. You could see the flames devouring the chapel through the smoke-tinted, large, round window over the choir seats. I've only attended church there one and half times, but sitting and watching the building eaten away by flames and being able to do nothing really was an emotional experience.
I'm not sure what we are going to do for the rest of the summer now, but there are several church buildings in the Boston area. I heard as well that the Episcopal Church across the street has offered their facilities while we are getting something more permanent. It's funny how tragedies tend to bring communities together.
What a weekend.
7 comments:
I'm still reeling from hearing about this. I'm glad that no one was hurt. There's something about a church burning that is really horrible, even if it was an accident.
Did you take this picture yourself?
I saw the news stories from this. It's a shame that such a beautiful and historic building burned down, but I'm glad that everyone got out safely.
Woah! Very sad. How'd it start?
I did not take this picture myself. I took a great one with my cellphone, but I don't know how to get it off my cellphone and onto here.
They think that it was an electrical fire since it started in the attic.
Wow, that's crazy.
Wow. That's crazy. I'm sorry your church burned down, but how nice and orderly everyone left the building. Good ol' Mormon organization.
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