The Governor's Mansion is burning!

[martymar64]

Gov Goodhair's been playing with matches again.
Actually he's not there, so this historic building burning is a real tragedy. It just happens to be occupied by that peckerhead.

[babylonsister]

1. Fire destroys Texas governor's mansion

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gAMSmoKySsFbvj0tS6tFWw5p-sbQD915T7A00

Fire destroys Texas governor's mansion

2 hours ago

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas state officials say a four-alarm fire has caused "catastrophic" damage to the Texas Governor's Mansion in Austin.

Governor's spokesman Robert Black says said no one was inside the 150-year-old home when the fire began shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday. He says the cause is not yet known.

The mansion had been undergoing a $10 million renovation and Gov. Rick Perry and his wife had moved out last fall.

Black says the damage to the mansion "is extraordinary, bordering on catastrophic."

He says more than 100 firefighters are at the scene and the roof of the mansion is very unstable.

[derby378]

2. What a shame...

I hope they can restore the mansion. There's a lot of history in that building.

[babylonsister]

3. OT, derby, but

your Cindy banner always makes me smile. She is a true hero to me, and I'm glad you haven't replaced that. :hi:

[tammywammy]

4. Fire marshal says Texas Governor's Mansion blaze appears deliberate

Fire marshal says Texas Governor's Mansion blaze appears deliberate

02:20 PM CDT on Sunday, June 8, 2008

By CHRISTY HOPPE and EMILY RAMSHAW / The Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN – A pre-dawn fire that nearly destroyed the Texas Governor’s Mansion appears to have been intentionally set.

State Fire Marshal Paul Maldonado said Sunday that investigators have evidence that an arsonist targeted the 152-year-old building. They have made no arrests, and don’t have a suspect.

An official close to the investigation said agents determined the fire was a criminal act after reviewing footage from security cameras. A national response team from the U.S. Department of Justice arrives Monday to help dig through the wreckage for clues.

No one was injured in the four-alarm blaze, which engulfed the historic landmark and sent orange flames billowing from the front door and second story terrace.

-snip-

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/060808dntexmansion.1049fdc5.html

[Maestro]

5. If it turns out to be arson, it will be very sad.

That was part of our culture, good and bad.

Here is a pic I took of it in 2006.

[tammywammy]

6. Agreed, very sad indeed

At least they're saying because of the renovations the historical artifacts have been removed

"State officials were unable to estimate Sunday’s financial loss. They said the silver lining was that all art work, furniture and historical artifacts had been removed as part of the renovation, which included extensive asbestos removal and replacing virtually all the plumbing. The work began last September."


I really hope that the building can be fixed. It would just be horrible if they actually had to raze it and build something new.

[sonias]

7. Aerial picture of damage on BOR

Burnt Orange Report blog

It looks really bad. Wow that is so sad.

Sonia

[Melissa G]

11. Heartbreaking

:cry:

[LucyParsons]

8. I am SO depressed about this.

I was a tour guide at the Governor's Mansion from 1998-2001, and am very depressed by this - the Governor's Mansion is of great historical and architectural significance for Texas. I am relieved that no one was home, and that all the furniture and artwork (including Stephen F. Austin's desk, Sam Houston's bed, the portrait of Sam Houston, and the Robert Onderdonk Painting, "Fall of the Alamo") were in storage, but I am worried about the staircase.

http://www.governor.state.tx.us/about/mansion/tour#entryh

"An important feature original to the house is the grand half-turn staircase. Governor James Hogg, the first native-born Texan to be governor, and his family occupied the house from 1891 to 1895. The Hogg children were very active and loved to slide down the banister. According to Miss Ima Hogg, after her brother Tom fell and was injured, Governor Hogg hammered tacks down the railing of the stairs to prevent any further mishaps. The filled nail holes are still visible."

[Lithos]

9. Fucking sick

I am just totally upset over this. No matter what you think of the current inhabitant or previous inhabitants, this building belongs to the people of Texas and is one of the treasures of the state. Hope they find them and lock them away for good.

L-

[GOPisEvil]

10. What kind of sick person would do this kind of thing?

I hope the arsonist is found and placed UNDER the prison in Huntsville.

[Catherine Vincent]

12. Our local Fox News is talking about it now.

They are reporting that it looks suspicious. And you know what? It probably is.

[Texasgal]

13. How horrible!!

A wonderful piece of Texas history....:cry:

[merci_me]

14. Ironically, we had to evacuate the convention center

about 7pm last night. Kirk Watson walked off the stage for a few seconds, came back and said there was an emergency situation and we should all immediately leave the building. So, everyone very quickly, and I might add very orderly, with no panic, headed out the doors and to the sidewalks across the street. We milled around for about 10 minutes, until we were told it was safe to re-enter. Some people on the street were saying there had been a bomb threat, but when we got back in, we were told it was a false fire alarm somewhere in the building.

The night before, Friday, after we got back to our hotel around midnight, we were grabbing a quick sandwich in the hotel restaurant and the fire alarms went off and we were told to immediately evacuate the building. Not being familiar with the restaurant, several of us headed out a door that turned out to be a balcony overlooking the Colorado River. It was dark down there and I had no idea if there was any land area to jump down to or if it was just the river. But within just a minute or two a waiter came out and told us it had just been some smoke from the grill in the kitchen that set off the alarm.

Then this morning, as I was packing, I had the television on and saw the fire at the mansion. Wow.

[sonias]

15. That emergency evacuation was never explained either

If it was a false alarm, you think they would have at least said something to that effect. They simply made us go outside and come right back in about 20 minutes later.

Very weird. I'm sure you can expect really high security in Denver.

:hi: merci-me. I saw you in a picture slideshow. I think this Texas Kaos slideshow has your picture in it.

Sonia

[crispini]

16. There was definitely an alarm, at least in the North end of the building.

I was sitting in on the special committee to take testimony about the Texas Two-Step and had actually just finished my testimony when the alarm went off. The court reporter had to take her dictation machine down with her! At least the escalators were still running.