Arson the cause of 2 small fires in cathedral
By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff
The Cathedral Church of St. Paul, the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts and a landmark on Boston Common, is recovering today after two small fires were intentionally set there on Sunday, fire and church officials said.
 (Dina Rudick/Globe Staff) |
The two minor blazes have been ruled arson, according to Steve MacDonald, a Fire Department spokesman. It appears that the fires were more acts of vandalism than deliberate plots to seriously damage the church, MacDonald said.
The blazes broke out about 2:45 p.m. on Sunday, when the church was packed with about 200 people, including members of a Chinese-language congregation who were eating lunch and participants in a Bible study class for the homeless, said the Very Reverend Jep Streit, dean of the cathedral.
Church members noticed the first fire in an anteroom just off the sanctuary, then another in a hallway, where it appeared a box of papers had been set ablaze, Streit said.
Church staff ushered everyone outside and firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze in the anteroom. The hallway fire went out on its own. The blazes destroyed some hymnals, prayer books, and sheet music used by both the English-speaking and Chinese-language congregations. Some water and soot also spilled across the sanctuary floor and poured into a downstairs kitchen and dining area. But church officials said they were relieved that the blazes were not worse.
“Given what could have happened, we’re very lucky that the damage wasn’t more extensive and no one was hurt,” Streit said.
He said church members worked hard to clean up after the fire and prepare lunch today for the 150 homeless neighbors who regularly take meals in the 188-year-old church.
The Boston Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating. The culprit could be difficult to identify because St. Paul’s was packed Sunday with people who had come in from the street, MacDonald said.
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How are these "Overnight Fires" when they broke out at 2:45pm.
I loved gong to that church when I was living on BH. If indeed was arson, I just can't believe anyone would want to destroy that church that's been good to the people of Boston....
Does it really make any difference what you call the fire. A fire is a fire and it could have resulted in a loss of life if not discovered in time.
I'm so tired of people romanticizing the homeless. This is a group that includes a large proportion of substance abusers and the mentally ill (remember that article on the crack-addicted panhandler yesterday?) and allowing them to roam unsupervised through a space shared by families with children is completely irresponsible. Here's hoping the Cathedral's insurer demands a "come to Jesus" meeting that results in the hiring of competent administration and security.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.