Comments about ‘Fire engulfs decades-old Massachusetts church’

This church, across the street from the Longfellow House and next to Harvard University, is a landmark for many Massachussetts church members. How sad to know it burned, but I'm sure the church will make a beautiful replacement in its stead.

The church will have it restored to its original structure, and most likely will have it updated with the best there is to buy. Money is no object building, but when it comes to cleaning, then that's another topic for another day!

Maybe they will finally put in some parking. Just kidding - it was sad to read about this, but I'm glad it looks like everybody was OK.

I am grateful for no injuries,in a situation like this people can panic and trample those trying to exit or even hurt themselves trying to get out.

I am very grateful for the firefighters who worked so hard extinquishing the fire and protecting vehicles and other buildings.

I send my prayers to all involved.

Is/was the headquarters for the Mass Boston Mission in the annex to the church?

I grew up in Mass. and went to many Stake conferences and Stake dances in that building. Our family was baptized there and my sister met her future husband at a Stake dance there. I'm saddened to read about the fire. I have many fond memories of that Church building.

I have all these questions, was it arson? How much damage was done? I have been in this building and it could use some serious remodeling only from the standpoint that the chapel could be bigger and the parking lot? not! could be put in. Something anyway.

Money: I don't know what you're talking about as far as cleaning goes. Every LDS building I have EVER been in is so spic and span you could eat off the floors. Of course, I haven't been in this particular building.

I'm glad everyone is safe. I certainly hope this wasn't due to arson. I hope the Church can be restored as quickly as possible.

According to the Boston Globe the fire started in the attic. I doubt very much that it was arson. I have a friend in New Hampshire who has been keeping me up-to-date.

I live in Cambridge, but attend church at a different building nearby. The Boston Globe has a much better description (and photos) of what happened. We were participating in a regionally broadcasted stake conference (not teleconference) from SLC. Apparently the fire started in the attic and the roof eventually collapsed. Members that evacuated the building came to our location to view the rest of the conference and described the evacuation as orderly. Nobody really took the fire alarms seriously until they could smell and see the smoke. The fire dept did not speculate on a cause, but its probably an electrical fire.

The Longfellow Park building is iconic in Cambridge and very important to the church's presence here. Its a shame it caught fire. The church is already investing millions in a new stake center here and will now have to restore the LP building as well.

According to people there who watched it burn said it started from an electrical short in the attic. A regional stake conference was going on at the time. They got everyone out, but the roof collapsed and spread the fires to the lower floors. Basically all that's left are the facade, the brick walls of the building and the steeple. It's really unfortunate as that was THE church for all of New England for the first few years of its life. People over a hundred miles away in Maine would drive every Sunday to that chapel in Cambridge, across the street from Longfellow's home. For the past eight years or so, it has served as the Institute building to all the single adults in the Boston/Cambridge area--Harvard, MIT, BU, UMass, Tufts--to all these students and working professionals, that building was home. This is tragic on a historical scale.

A friend was in the building when it happened. It was a stake conference being broadcast from SLC that began at 10:00 a.m. At 10:30 the alarm went off and they filed outside. Flames were already visible on the roof. About 20 minutes later the roof of the chapel collapsed. The building is completely destroyed. The pictures are pretty bizarre.

My wife commented that it was fortunate that it wasn't a regular Sunday, as it would have been far more difficult to evacuate from multiple classrooms, meetings, etc. Twenty minutes from alarm to roof collapse is not really that long.

Yeah, I was there. The evacuation was orderly because nobody took the alarm seriously until they got outside and could see the smoke. The building is extensively damaged, but my favorite picture of Christ was saved! Also, we don't know what started the fire. The wiring thing is just speculation... I'm not sure what else could have started it though; nobody was upstairs at the time. And yes, I echo whoever said it's a good thing it was stake conference because everyone was in the chapel so everyone got out safely.

I agree with the reader who called this tragic on an historic scale. I grew up in Belmont and attended this chapel for many years, during the '70s and later during '80s when my father was a bishop of one of the singles' wards. I was baptized as an 8-year-old in this building, went to Wednesday afternoon Primary there, and remember the Sunday where we learned there that Blacks would be able to receive the Priesthood - we excitedly exited the building after Sacrament meeting that day to find reporters waiting on the steps to interview us. I remember seeing my parents' comments later that day on tv. Many amazing LDS families from New England considered this building home, and their posterity now are making a difference around the world. I'm sure many, many people are deeply saddened by this today as my family and I are. But, just as when the nearly completed Belmont Chapel was burned several years ago, I'm sure blessings will come from this -- the surrounding community will undoubtedly rally around us as we rebuild and regroup from this sad loss.

Surely the church has insurance on the building that would protect themselves for this type of disaster. I would hope it could be rebuilt without costing the Church a whole lot monetarily.

Cats: I think that money was referring to the fact that in many places the church members keep the building cleaned on a roster basis so that the church doesn't get to pay money for that service. A bit like calling people to serve missions or to be volounteers and fill administrative functions, as it does.

Not that I'm complaining. Happy to be a doorkeeper in the House of the Lords, etc.

Those parts of the Book of Mormon that tell about the pride cycle say that the members would patiently endure smiting for awhile, but after a time, some would turn and smite back. In applying scriptures to our day, I think we could relate that to not losing patience with trolls who verbally smite Church members. Sometimes it is hard not to smite back. Sometimes I fail but I am trying.

I am very sorry for those of you who feel a personal loss of this historic building. We recently lost a historic church in our little valley in S. Nevada but it doesn't seem to be as devastating on so many levels.

Those of us who saw the building go up in flames don't seem to care how or why the fire started--but are thrilled that none of our community (either church-goers or firefighters) were injured.

The outpouring of community has been tremendous--special thanks to the Quaker church across the street who helped us attempt to preserve the books and special paintings the fire spared.

I'm generally at a loss of words for what happened today; it might have been just a physical building, but the local members hold a special place in their hearts for the Longfellow Park chapel. Perhaps this will give each of us a chance to help rebuild the building that rebuilt many of us.

The church does not carry insurance on it's church buildings. With as many buildings as they have it is less expensive to replace them when needed then insure each one worldwide. Same thing with church vehicles. They only carry liability coverage.

I do not live in Mass., However I understand the loss of such a historical building. I do know that the members of this Church are what really makes it what it is. I have lived all over the world in large cities and rural areas where the LDS people have always made a difference. They are the first to respond to disaster, but also the first to respond to a fellow human being in need. I do find that these folks are very humble and never understand why others think they are Heros. If everyone of us just did one deed a day for others as they do what a better world it would be. God works through these folks for us all and I am glad they believe the way they do. I live in good old Baptist Belt Texas and observe them as they do good always behind the scenes never out in the spotlight.
May the Boston congrgation be blessed as they set forther on this journey to rebuild not only a building but a community. Hopefully they will recieve back some of the help and blessings they have given.