|
|
Courthouse
Fire
August 4th, 2008
Blackened roof beams hovered like a skeleton above the
brick walls of the Lancaster County Courthouse on Tuesday.
The beams and a few slate shingles are all that’s left of the roof of the
historic building, built in 1828.
The courtroom was set on fire early Monday morning by an arsonist. The
building’s original judge’s bench is a charred shell. Water dripped from the
ceiling of the courtroom and sunlight shone on burned case files and stacks
of arrest warrants on Tuesday afternoon.
“Whoever did this, they need to be strung up by their toes at the courthouse
by one of those rafters that survived,” County Councilman Fred Thomas said.
The arsonist apparently got into the building through a front window and
left through the back door on the bottom floor. The fire likely burned for
some time before it was discovered, Lancaster Fire Department Chief Chris
Nunnery said.
A restoration company worked Tuesday to salvage files from the bottom floor.
The bottom floor’s plaster ceilings bubbled in the heat of the blaze, and
water trickled down the walls from the second floor. Industrial fans blew
through the rooms Tuesday afternoon to dry soaked carpets and wet documents.
Police had no suspects Tuesday, Lancaster Police Chief Hugh White said.
The State Law Enforcement Division and federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives are also investigating the fire.
Fighting the fire
Officials said the fire was called in about 5:25 a.m. by a woman who drove
past on her way to work. When police and firefighters arrived, there
were no holes in the roof, but heavy smoke was pouring out from under the
eaves, Nunnery said.
Eight fire departments – city fire, and the Antioch, Camp Creek, McDonald
Green, Elgin, Gooches, Riverside and Shiloh Zion volunteer departments
fought the blaze. Two ladder trucks, one from the city and the other from
Elgin, were used to spray the roof.
Lancaster County Emergency Management Director Morris Russell said he was
hoping for the best as he drove to answer the call. He said he was
remembering how two years ago, someone tried unsuccessfully to burn the
building by throwing a homemade bomb through a window.
Then he heard firefighters on the scene asking for more water pressure and
got a call from Nunnery. “He said, ‘I got a fire in the attic,’” Russell
said. “I said, ‘Oh my God.’ I knew we had a serious fire.”
Smoke later billowed out of holes in the roof, as firefighters shot a
mixture of fire-suppressing foam and water onto the fire. At least 100,000
gallons of water were used to fight the blaze, Russell said.
Firefighters set up a command center in the parking lot next to the
courthouse.
The local American Red Cross chapter was on hand to supply water and food
for emergency workers.
The S.C. State Guard also assisted at the scene.
“I felt sick,” Russell said. “That’s part of our heritage.”
Nunnery said it’s the type of call every firefighter dreads.
“This is a part of Lancaster,” Nunnery said. “It’s a sickening feeling even
to get the initial call.”
Courthouse survived before
The courthouse was designed by Robert Mills, who also had a hand in
designing the Washington Monument. The last witchcraft trial in the United
States was held at the courthouse in 1813, said local historian Jo Williams.
Probate records were burned at the courthouse during the Civil War era, and
in April 2006, someone threw a “Molotov cocktail” through a back window of
the bottom floor, causing minor damage to an office.
The courthouse sustained damage, but remained standing during the Charleston
earthquake in 1886. Five rods were inserted into the building’s flooring to
repair damage.
Although severely damaged by this fire, officials say the 180-year-old
building can be saved.
But many Lancaster County residents are angry about what happened.
“Whoever did this, they’re in a world of trouble. You have brought the wrath
of the law down upon you,” said Lancaster County Council Chairman Rudy
Carter.
“All those years of history down the drain,” Carter said.
Bystanders were shocked as the historic building burned Monday morning. Many
stood along the sidewalk in front of the Lancaster County Administration
Building across the street, taking pictures or video of the devastation.
Ginger Sowell, a paralegal for the solicitor’s office, was in disbelief
watching her workplace burn.
After getting the all-clear signal later Monday afternoon to enter the
building, court officials began salvaging records from their offices.
“I love this building,” Sowell said. “It’s got so much history behind it.”
Local attorney Mandy Powers-Norrell, who lives a few blocks away on Market
Street, heard the sirens and knew it was something bad.
“It’s the most shocking thing, but by the grace of God, it hasn’t happened
before this,” Powers-Norrell said. “It’s like losing a member of your
family.”
South Carolina Insurance News Service is offering a reward for any
information leading to the arrest and indictment of persons setting arson
fires. Call toll free (800) 92-ARSON
Crimestoppers also offers awards for any information that leads to the
arrest of the person or persons responsible. Call (888) 559-TIPS.
Contact senior reporter Jenny Hartley at jhartley@thelancasternews.com or at
(803) 283-1151
Reprinted with permission from The Lancaster News
|
