Well, the title really says it all. On Sunday, 40 minutes into a meeting that happened to be Stake Conference (i.e. there were many times more people than usual in the building), the fire alarm went off. We realized we could smell smoke, and exited the chapel as quickly as possible. As I walked out, I glanced up at the church and could see flames flickering out from under the eaves. Needless to say, this expedited my evacuation quite effectively. Before I knew it, the 300+ people that had been in the building were gathered on the lawn watching in shock as smoke started billowing out from under the roof, from the ventilation grates in the steeple, and the attic.I heard sirens and the first of what would eventually become over 10 firetrucks arrived on the scene. At this point I thought they would just hook up the hoses, spray the roof, put out the fire, and all would be good. It was not to be. Apparently the fire was in the attic which has very limited access. Firemen went into the building to try to fight the fire, but
eventually the roof started caving in and they had to evacuate again. We watched as the entire roof caught fire and flared up. The roof collapsed on the chapel and we could see through the windows the massive flames incinerating the exact area I had been sitting less than half an hour before. Smoke was everywhere. Sirens were blaring. Firefighters were running around. Passers-by were stopping to stare. Many members such as I that has just been inside the church were standing there, shocked, not knowing what to say or do. I remember at one point a member of the Quaker church which is across from ours came up to me to offer condolences. She told me "We're praying for you," and I think I mumbled a "thanks." In retrospect I wish I had spoken to her more at length, but at the time I was too much in a state of shock and disbelief to really even comprehend what she was saying to me. It was rather cold and overcast, and I was standing there in a dress, with no jacket, freezing, and shivering uncontrollably. We couldn't go home because fire trucks were blocking my roommate's car. After about an hour I ran into my friend Rob who offered me his jacket, and that helped a bit.
A couple hours later the fire was contained and on its way to being put out. Some of the firemen went into the Institute Library--which was on the opposite side of the church from the chapel and sustained the least fire damage--and started pulling out books. Who knew we had so many books. Most of them were water damaged from the fire hoses. The Quakers offered their basement for storage, and we soon formed a line across the street and grass and begin passing stacks of books, bucket-brigade style, from the sodden pile the firemen were rescuing to the basement of the Quaker church. After a couple hours of this, the last book was passed down the line, and we cheered. Who knew the institute library was so large.
One of the awesome things is that the huge painting of Christ and the rich young man that hung in the foyer was miraculously undamaged by the fire. When two firemen exited carrying it between them, a cheer erupted from everyone present.Words cannot really express what it felt like to witness this scene. And, though a picture is worth a thousand words, the photos fail to do it justice either. I do have a short video clip I made with my camera which does a better job of reminding me of the experience.
I must have been much more worn out--both physically and emotionally--than I realized, because when I finally made it home that evening I slept for 12 hours straight.
Although I kept telling myself "It's just a building" and I am extremely grateful that everyone made it out safely, it's still a little rough feeling displaced, and having no church "home." Having attended that building since I arrived in Boston, I had grown rather fond of it. It was also, apparently, the oldest LDS chapel in New England. However, as Nate pointed out, it's comforting to know that some things never change (see Boston Globe article, esp last sentence). I guess the building burning down is still no excuse for us singles to not get married. :)
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