Alton Bay Pavillion Fire

[riverat]

At this time the pavillion is burning!
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll...EWS05/61214023

[Weirs guy]

Weirs girls been detoured on her way into work through Alton Bay, so I lost my "on the scene" report. Anyone see anything?

[riverat]

That must be long detour, not many ways around the bay.

[Weirs guy]

The detour went through Meredith...

It was a shorter detour then I had thought and she did manage to sneak a peak and it doesn't sound good. TO HER it looked like most of the building would be a total loss with the fire raging pretty good right now and apparently not under control.

[riverat]

I can still see smoke from my place and smell it and I am almost three miles away.
I was not too keen on the condos, but anything is better than vacant lot. What bit of history remained with that building is no lost. A sad day for Winni

[riverat]

I can still see smoke from my place and smell it and I am almost three miles away.
I was not too keen on the condos, but anything is better than vacant lot. What bit of history remained with that building is now lost. A sad day for Winni

[mg2107]

This is almost as big a tragedy as the Oak Birch Inn. What a land mark.Please post pix asap folks.thanks

[Weirs guy]

The fire has gone to a 3rd alarm.

[Paugus Bay Resident]

Here's the latest http://www.unionleader.com/article.a...1-442103e406c0
Sounds like its a total loss.

[nj2nh]

http://www.wmur.com/news/10532151/detail.html

My mom in Massachusetts heard this on the news and phoned me here in Jersey. How sad. First the Oak Birch Inn, the Old Man and now this. I feel like my childhood history is just disappearing and my children won't be able to experience it

A sad, sad day for Alton Bay.

Jersey Girl

[gtxrider]

I hope the developer has insurance! Last time I saw the building this summer it was just studs and a roof. Now it seems its gone.

[nj2nh]

I also heard, and please, please, correct me if I am wrong, that the developer can now build any sort of building he wants there including something with multiple stories. Could that be true???/

Jersey Girl

[mcdude]

Someone has sent me these photos at work. Regretfully I don't have time to upload and post them all right now!

thanks Ray for sending these along!

[riverat]

it totally gone

http://fdimg.sv.publicus.com/apps/pb...ef=V2&MaxW=250

[mcdude]

[mcdude]

[Alton Mumma]

I have a friend that lives right on the Bay, she called me this morning. The fire trucks woke her at 6:30 and put her into a total panic. She looked out the window and saw the Pavilion in flames! She took pics, I'll see if I can get them from her to upload and share.

Such a sad day Another part of our history gone...

[superduty]

Sad loss to Alton Bay, condo's or not. Pray for the safety of all those at the scene. I hope the contractor had insurance and I hope this was a construction accident. I have heard of several arson fires in empty buildings recently in the Alton area and this is much desturbing if this is one of them.

[Onshore]

Originally Posted by Jersey Girl

I also heard, and please, please, correct me if I am wrong, that the developer can now build any sort of building he wants there including something with multiple stories. Could that be true???/

Jersey Girl

That would be false. He is limited by the Comprehenesive Shoreland Protection Act. He will need to build/ rebuild within the limits of what his original waiver and permits allowed.

[riverat]

Took these at 1:00 PM, looked like pretty much fire oiut around 1:30PM

[flyguy]

Definitely not "burned to the ground" as some reported, but certainly a total loss.

[mcdude]

[SteveA]

Yes they had insurance... my daughter works for the company that insured the project.

[JacksonB]

WMUR has a video of the fire on their website.
www.wmur.com

[upthesaukee]

Still firefighters on duty at 10 PM, including one ladder truck with the ladder extended over the roof area about the center of the building.

In the midst of this tragedy, some real heros. Alton FD and other departments from as far away as Rochester and Barrington. Ernie Gillan got a small boat into the water, but the power of the water hoses made it impossible to hold in one position. I heard they finally were able to get a line on a piling on shore, and do a fair job with I think one hose. (Alton fire boat came out of the water this past week!). Thanks to the firefighters local and mutual aid, the volunteers who helped any way they could, and thank goodness there doesn't seem to be any serious injuries relating to the fire.

[JimD]

I think there is a serious problem with fires in Alton. I don't live there or own property there, but I have friends in the area and it worries me. I have no personal knowledge, but just by reading the Citizen online everyday and it appears this has been going on for a couple years now and nobody seems concerned. It seems like they regard these fires as some type of prank. If this fire is determined to be arson or suspicous, hopefully it will get enough attention to end it before it gets worse.

[mg2107]

Before someone dies.

[Coolbreeze]

JimD, I may be taking your post the wrong way but it reads like you think the investigating agencies are not taking the fires in Alton or the surrounding communities seriously. Yet, you are getting the info that "concerns you" from the local paper of a community. What you read in the papers isn't alway all the facts. Insurance companies investigate all losses and claims related to fire. The State and local investigators work with the insurance agencies...so the info you get from the papers is not all there simply because the investigators are not sharing it. That is a part of their jobs during an investigation, it also gets bad guys caught. So before you start thinking these professionals are just shrugging their shoulders to another fire. Remember that there is alot going on behind the scenes that you don't see and are not supposed to see.

[Pineedles]

I think "Behind the scenes" is what concerns him. No arrests. No convictions.

[Coolbreeze]

I understand your thoughts now, In my experience with the aftermath of large fires, the public rarely hears of the cause simply because it is old news from a few months ago by the time the investigation ends. I also think that most of the fires you hear about are accidental either by stupidity or some sort of error. Arsonists ususally get caught, either in the act or bragging about their work. Arson for insurance money usually gets both parties involved caught by simple greed. Anyway give the locals some credit in any investigations. They already have a political job, they don't need the public forming a witch hunt mentality making things tougher for them.

[Just Sold]

I stole away from the office today and took a ride up to the lake. I saw one boat on the Broads in Gilford. Nice and calm out there but cold.

I went to Alton and could not believe the devastation to the old Pavillion. At least 3/4 of it is destroyed from what I could see and an excavator was there I would guess to tear the building down. I did not have a camera with me so no pics.

I skated there only once but watched many times others enjoying the skating rink. It is really sad to loose such a wonderful piece of Alton's history even if it was being converted to condo's. Even with the changes being done to the building it still brought out memories that I fear will be gone forever now.

[mcdude]

Originally Posted by Just Sold

Even with the changes being made to the building it still brought out memories that I fear will be gone forever now.

Well at least we have this web page where many memories can be stored. Here is a link to another thread where memories of the Pavillion were shared

PAVILLION MEMORIES

.....and remember, this is the second pavillion that recently burnt. the original paviallion burnt also. JacksonB has posted some wonderful photos of the original structure that I'll have to seach for and post.

[mcdude]

The original pavillion was two stories. This old photo was posted by JacksonB.

[mg2107]

Does any one have a full frontal photo or postcard of the two story pavillion?

[nj2nh]

I believe the postcard I have of the pavilion does show it with the two floors, but it is from across the lake. I don't quite know how to attach it, but I will give it a try. If it doesn't come up here, I will try to load it to the Photopost.

Jersey Girl

[nj2nh]

Whoa. Photo was too big. Trying again. So sorry.

Jersey Girl

[bigpapi34]

the call was bad. i was called to that. too bad that place was so old

[mg2107]

Thanks Jersey Girl I have never seen the two story version before.Any date on the postcard? What year did that one burn?

[upthesaukee]

Originally Posted by mg2107

Thanks Jersey Girl I have never seen the two story version before.Any date on the postcard? What year did that one burn?

Published reports here locally have said 1928 (I think) for the first fire.

[nj2nh]

Sorry, MG2107, no date on the card. It wasn't mailed.

Jersey Girl

[mcdude]

From the Baysider

The word around the site indicates that aggressive reconstruction plans are in the works. Neither building owner Lee Maserian, nor general contractor Jerry DeLemus, could be reached for comment, but it has been revealed, though not officially, that the building will be reconstructed with two stories instead of just one, and with an anticipated completion date prior to summer.

[Aquadeziac]

so shore thing is incorrect and the developer does NOT have to abide by the Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act? Exactly what does the CSPA state? Or does he have enough grease to slide around the CSPA? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Pineedles]

So.... is there any info on the cause and the perpetrators?