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Fire destroys beloved church
BY MARK FONTECCHIO
The Patriot Ledger
Published June 10, 2005
WEYMOUTH - Grief-stricken parishioners picked up bricks and shingles today from the blackened rubble of Sacred Heart Church to keep as mementos of a building many knew as babies.
"Taking these pieces will just keep my memories alive," said Gabby Lee, 12, a seventh-grader at Sacred Heart Elementary School who was baptized at the church and received her first communion there. "I've been here so long and I
wanted to graduate here."
Many parishioners snapped photos of the smoldering building, including Maria Ruscio, a member for 16 years, who said she was taking photos at the pastor's request.
"I still can't believe it," Ruscio said. "My kids were christened here. I hoped that they would get married here, and that's not going to happen. Even if the church is rebuilt, it won't be the same."
The seven-alarm fire continued to burn today and Route 53 was closed as fire officials sifted through the debris for clues. Weymouth Fire Chief Robert Leary said he was waiting for structural engineers to look at the building before deciding whether the entire structure should be taken down.
"We want to see what the viability is," Leary said. "We want to know if part of it can be saved."
At 10 this morning the Rev. Dan Riley, pastor, and fire personnel went into the church to see if they could salvage any sacred items. The Rev. Riley spent most of the morning embracing and consoling parishioners, who came by to see the ruins.
"The shock is wearing off, and it's getting sad," the Rev. Riley said. "But we have wonderful people and I have faith that things will work out."
The Rev. Riley said school will reopen Tuesday and Masses will be held at the regular times over the weekend in the school auditorium.
The seven-alarm fire that broke out at 10 p.m. last night destroyed the Weymouth Landing landmark in a matter of hours. Officials suspect the blaze broke out in the basement by the boiler room but heavy smoke prevented firefighters from getting into the room, Leary said. Investigations are under way by Weymouth police and fire and the state fire
marshal.
Two firefighters sustained minor injuries early on during the fire. There were no other injuries. Leary said officials would try to reopen Route 53 by early evening.
Leary said the fire spread so rapidly that even as firefighters tried to contain the smoke, the many pockets in the landmark church served as fuel for more fire and smoke, which snaked its way up the entire structure.
"Church fires tend to be very difficult to fight, especially in a building that's over 100 years old," Leary said.
At midnight, the fire seared the roof and started flaming. Chunks of the burning roof began to break off and roll down the sides. Soon after, the bell and stair towers were burning and the cross atop it all was smoking.
Ladder trucks surrounded the building and attacked it with water, which poured out the front doors and down the stairs like a flood. Officials cut power to, and cleared the area in front of, the church, fearful that the bell tower would collapse. It didn't.
Parishioners lined the surrounding sidewalks by the hundreds. As firefighters shattered the stained-glass windows to ventilate the building, many bystanders gasped.
Henry Welch, deacon at Sacred Heart for 15 years, stood nearby, bracing himself on a chain-link fence.
"It's gone," he said. "It's totally gone."
The Rev. Harry Kaufman, an assistant priest, was in the rectory 15 feet away from the church at the time. His air-conditioning unit was blaring so he didn't know about the fire until parishioners started rushing in to rush him
out.
Fire engines from a dozen cities and towns as far away as Boston converged to contain the blaze. Officials estimated that 80 to 85 firefighters were on the scene. They were able to save the rectory 15 feet away and the elementary school,
which is about 100 feet away.
The church, valued at about $5 million, was destroyed.
Leary wouldn't comment on whether there were manpower problems in Weymouth during the fire. Mayor David Madden and the town council had a heated conversation in March about fire staffing levels. Madden said the department at times would operate three engines and two ladders, which was the case last night.
Officials will now begin the process of dismantling the church. Parishioners, meanwhile, will begin the process of rebuilding their church, however they can.
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