fire firegeezer on 31 Aug 2008 11:36 am
Costly Fire In Oregon State Capital Building
A FIRE BROKE OUT AT THE STATE CAPITAL IN SALEM, OREGON, Saturday morning, causing extensive damage to the Governor’s Ceremonial Room and nearby areas.
Statesman Journal photo
After investigation all day Saturday, it was determined that there is no evidence that the fire was set. The entire building is undergoing a thorough renovation and the origin of the fire was in a pile of construction materials on a terrace.
The three-alarm fire was quickly contained and knocked down. Damages were mostly limited to the areas directly around the ceremonial office where the governor signs bills and holds public events. The office contained many artifacts of Oregon’s history, but the extent of their damage has not been disclosed.
Cleaning the walnut-paneled Ceremonial Office
began right away. (Statesman Journal photo)
In addition to the ceremonial office and others on the 2nd floor, some first-floor hearing rooms and an office on the 3rd floor directly above the governor’s office were damaged. No estimate has yet been made of the monetary damage.
The Salem-News has the STORY.
KPTV has this video report (from Saturday morning):
