Investigators probe fire that destroyed Springfield (Mass.) mosque

[wicket]

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/343/region/Investigators_probe_fire_that_:.shtml

Arson investigators were on the scene of a fast-moving fire that destroyed a city mosque on Wednesday.

Authorities had not been able to determine whether the fire that destroyed the Al-Baqi Islamic Center was suspicious because the remains of the brick building were not safe to enter, said Lt. Neil Hawley of the Springfield Fire Department.

A passer-by reported fire coming from the second floor of the mosque on Union Street at about 5 p.m., Hawley said. When firefighters arrived a few minutes later, fire was showing from the second and third floors.

''Fifteen minutes after that, it was through the roof,'' Hawley said, explaining that a stiff wind made it impossible to fight the flames from inside the three-story brick building.

[roguevalley]

1. Oh my god. I hope its electrical. What have we come to if it isn't?

[KamaAina]

2. Fire being labeled as suspicious

and the arson squad is investigating.

:scared: :scared: :scared:

http://www.wwlp.com/news2004/topstory.html?artID=138255

In Massachusetts, no less. :wtf:

[intheflow]

3. I spent about my life in the Springfield area.

Most people are just fine and normal, but there is a racist undercurrent in the city to be sure. It doesn't supprise me race and religion came together in Springfield to do this.

:(

[wicket]

4. that really sucks :(

I'm in Boston, but have friends in Springfield, I am very sorry to hear of this incident :(

[parsifal_e]

5. Hope it's an isolated incident

[wicket]

6. me too :(

This is horrible...

[Bombero1956]

8. I'm a member of that department

I was listening on my handheld portable. The first assignment arrived within 3 minutes and the 2nd and 3rd floors were fully involved, flames were shooting out of the windows. Because our department had 53 layoffs almost 2 years ago the first companies on the scene were not enough to make an interior attack possible. Within 10 minutes the incident commander put in a second alarm and the building partially collapsed. I'm sure the arson squad will bring in our arson detection dog Dakota in the morning. There is an undercurrent of racism in the city. Recently 4 white police officers broke the window on a BMW with an African American male inside who was unresponsive. They thought he was high on crack or something.They dragged him from the car and when they were done the man needed 18 stitches to close a wound in his head, turns out he was having a diabetic seizure and was the principal of a local charter school. Two of the officers had previous racial incidents involving members of the African American community. One was videotaped kicking a Black male who was cuffed and on the ground. The other held a congratulatory "ham" dinner for a fellow officer who shot and killed a Black male driving a reported stolen van. The van was not stolen, it was lent to him.

[wicket]

9. Thanks for the info

53 layoffs?? Sheesh, that should be criminal, first responders are critical!

[intheflow]

12. Gosh, Gargoyle!

I was thinking back to the race riots in the late '60'd/early 70's! Those, and the odd racist remark that slips from people's mouths when they don't realize what they're saying. I had no idea it was this bad right now.

:( So much for the myth of racial harmony in this country. If it can happen in Springfield, it can happen anywhere.

BTW, you don't say if you're a firefighter or a police officer, but whatever, you remember to stay safe, too! And thanks for protecting my friends and family back home. :hi:

[Just Me]

13. I just read this morning that some neo-nazis moved up there.

They call themselves the National Socialist Movement (ugh).

I wonder if they have anything to do with this incident.

I hope it's an isolated event.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

11. I grew up there. There's some but nothing unusual

It's always all about the one or 2 yo-yos that ruin it for everyone else though.

[DemBones DemBones]

7. I'm glad to see that some DUers are concerned about

hate crimes against religion.

Muslims have attacked Americans here and abroad many times in recent years but that doesn't make all Muslims terrorists or Islam evil.

Having just come from a thread where DUers are justifying the actions of whoever vandalized a statue of Jesus at a Catholic Church, it's good to see that some still care about their fellow humans and their right to worship and believe as they choose.

We must protect and respect everyone, not just the people we agree with.

[wicket]

10. Amen to that

n/t

[Bono71]

14. Agree, though I find it interesting

some of those in the thread you are mentioning (about Catholics) don't seem to have the same reservations about labeling crimes against non-Christians as "hate crimes."

[wicket]

15. kick

:kick:

[Bombero1956]

16. I'm a firefighter

come next February will mark my 27th year on the job.