| a year ago today, algonquin river state hospital nearly ceased to exist. they say the fire was caused by lightning from a dramatic storm that night, although there are many theories that the disaster was more of a man-made variety. since the structure is on the historic register and cannot be demolished outright, some say that the lightning rod was removed on purpose, and as algonquin stands proudly overlooking the town from a hilltop, it was inevitable that this would be the result. such an action would constitute arson; any removal of a fire prevention device that results in a fire is a crime… but who can or will ever prove such a thing? another strong possibility is that a photographer said in the circles of those who haunt abandoned buildings to be a destructive, spiteful coward started the blaze. this was the person who pried the beautiful terra cotta mosaics off of the walls of oceanvista state hospital and proudly proclaimed beneath that it was his work. i wasn’t there the night of the fire and i’ve never met him, but i’ve seen the things he’s done. while i typically do not form opinions solely based on those of others, i’ve talked to many different people whose word i trust who recount firsthand stories of what a toxic influence he is, of how eager he is to ruin everything he touches. what is certain is that he was there that night. he has posted a set of photos on the internet, taken from a high vantage point inside the building and suspiciously well timed, that follow the flames as they race ever higher, ever faster, consuming the entire ward in what must have been a tremendously gratifying display of wanton devastation to someone whose only real achievements are tearing things around him apart. i suppose it doesn’t matter. the end result is the same. the fire was of such scale that it is difficult to even imagine; by FDNY standards it was a six alarm blaze. when the hospital was open it was so large that it had its own fully staffed fire department, but those days are long gone. even the fire hydrants didn’t work, so miles of large diameter hose had to be laid to support the crews. walls were torn down to prevent the fire from spreading to the administration building, and the firefighters remained for days wetting hot spots. all in all, it was a heroic effort. despite the fact that the building was empty, despite the sheer magnitude of the firestorm and the difficulty in combating it, the myriad of departments on the scene prevailed. you might not know it, to see the remains of the wing and the gaping holes in the brick… but when you look at the stunning facade of the administration building, when you run your hands along the exquisite railings on the stately main staircase inside, when you stop to admire the delicate stone carvings that adorn the pillars on the porches, you can see why it was so important that they were there, why it was so critical that algonquin river state hospital survived that night. even though the fire crews probably don’t know or care what their work made possible for me and the few other pilgrims who make the sojourn to see algonquin’s august remains, even though time and nature will eventually complete the job the fire started, today she still stands. it was quite literally a trial by fire. i’m glad she survived. |
| trial by fire (ir) |
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