Nov. 13, 2007
ATF Will Investigate Columbia Fire in Portsmouth
By Tony Rutherford
Huntington News Network Writer
Portsmouth, OH (HNN) – Fire investigators, including the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms will arrive in Portsmouth, Ohio, soon to examine the gutted interior of the Columbia Music Hall, said Claudette Ferguson, a former sound engineer at the venue.
The former Columbia Theatre, built in 1912, burned early Sunday morning, Nov. 11, 2007. “They are bringing in the feds and a special dog from Texas tomorrow [Tuesday, Nov. 13] to continue the investigation,” Ferguson said.
The presence of Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms inspectors does not necessarily mean that arson is suspected. Following the Emmons Junior Apartment Fire and the Ratcliff Place fires in Huntington, the ATF assisted the local and state fire marshal to identify the cause of the fires. Huntington Fire Chief Greg Fuller explained in January 2007 that the Bureau assists in any fire loss over $1,000,000.
However, the Columbia fire comes less than 24 hours after its owner, Lee Scott , had been quoted by The Portsmouth Times as disfavoring what the Times headlined a “Pay To Protect” police department contribution from downtown merchants. Jeff Barron wrote, Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007, that the city’s police chief deemed it similar to the hiring of off duty officers by the Portsmouth Metropolitan Housing Authority, Kroger, the Vern Riffe Center, or schools during sporting events.
“Support for the plan is not unanimous," Barron wrote. "Columbia Music Hall owner, Lee Scott, said the extra protection is not needed. "The crime near our place is next to nothing," he told the Times. “I’ve heard that people have lost some stereos. Maybe, but I’ve never had any problems with it. “ City tax money should be enough to provide adequate downtown security, Scott said.
Earlier, Scott led the successful recall of the city’s mayor who along with other city officials had disfavored restoration of the theatre.
Despite all the political and financial obstacles overcome to re-open the Columbia, now, aside from the four walls and front façade standing, the forecast for the 1912 landmark appears mostly bleak. The roof has been entirely burnt off and the interior steel has been twisted by the severity of the heat.
Burdette said that the Music Hall was “really starting to take off and become more well known around the area.” About a month ago The Misfits, a long running rock band, performed there, and Bluefield did a video shoot at the venue for the cable channel, Great American Country.
(Editor’s Note: Our Gallery includes photos of the fire and shots of The Misfits, Bluefield and Blizzard of Ozz preparing to perform. These provide an view of the interior before the building was gutted. Photos are © Claudette Ferguson and use with her permission. Click here for unedited video of the fire: http://joeyrayandthesmithzonians.com/columbiafire.wmv. A separate video window will open on your computer.)
According to The Portsmouth Times, the acting fire chief called in trucks from New Boston and Sciotoville to battle the blaze. Shortly after firefighters entered the building, the roof began collapsing, which caused them to go into a defensive mode to save surrounding sites. Acting Fire Chief Randy Duncan explained that the heavy plaster and lath interior construction “holds heat really well,” which caused the well built structure to burn so hot following the roof collapse. The collapse “channeled all that fire and stuff right up through the beams, and you can see how twisted they are, there’s a lot of heat damage.”
The foot thick walls are all that remain of the Scotts’ dream of attempting to do something for all ages in downtown Portsmouth. Co-owner and attorney Christine Scott told The Times that looking from the outside in prospects for saving any of the interior do not look hopeful. Their best case scenario would apparently be rebuilding with the walls standing and with the front façade. But, even that possibility, requires financing and word from engineers that the walls are not in danger of collapse.
Calling the fire a “great loss,” Ferguson said that “many of the people here in town are devastated; it’s like we’ve lost an old friend.”
ATF Will Investigate Columbia Fire in Portsmouth
By Tony Rutherford
Huntington News Network Writer
Portsmouth, OH (HNN) – Fire investigators, including the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms will arrive in Portsmouth, Ohio, soon to examine the gutted interior of the Columbia Music Hall, said Claudette Ferguson, a former sound engineer at the venue.
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The presence of Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms inspectors does not necessarily mean that arson is suspected. Following the Emmons Junior Apartment Fire and the Ratcliff Place fires in Huntington, the ATF assisted the local and state fire marshal to identify the cause of the fires. Huntington Fire Chief Greg Fuller explained in January 2007 that the Bureau assists in any fire loss over $1,000,000.
However, the Columbia fire comes less than 24 hours after its owner, Lee Scott , had been quoted by The Portsmouth Times as disfavoring what the Times headlined a “Pay To Protect” police department contribution from downtown merchants. Jeff Barron wrote, Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007, that the city’s police chief deemed it similar to the hiring of off duty officers by the Portsmouth Metropolitan Housing Authority, Kroger, the Vern Riffe Center, or schools during sporting events.
“Support for the plan is not unanimous," Barron wrote. "Columbia Music Hall owner, Lee Scott, said the extra protection is not needed. "The crime near our place is next to nothing," he told the Times. “I’ve heard that people have lost some stereos. Maybe, but I’ve never had any problems with it. “ City tax money should be enough to provide adequate downtown security, Scott said.
Earlier, Scott led the successful recall of the city’s mayor who along with other city officials had disfavored restoration of the theatre.
Despite all the political and financial obstacles overcome to re-open the Columbia, now, aside from the four walls and front façade standing, the forecast for the 1912 landmark appears mostly bleak. The roof has been entirely burnt off and the interior steel has been twisted by the severity of the heat.
Burdette said that the Music Hall was “really starting to take off and become more well known around the area.” About a month ago The Misfits, a long running rock band, performed there, and Bluefield did a video shoot at the venue for the cable channel, Great American Country.
(Editor’s Note: Our Gallery includes photos of the fire and shots of The Misfits, Bluefield and Blizzard of Ozz preparing to perform. These provide an view of the interior before the building was gutted. Photos are © Claudette Ferguson and use with her permission. Click here for unedited video of the fire: http://joeyrayandthesmithzonians.com/columbiafire.wmv. A separate video window will open on your computer.)
According to The Portsmouth Times, the acting fire chief called in trucks from New Boston and Sciotoville to battle the blaze. Shortly after firefighters entered the building, the roof began collapsing, which caused them to go into a defensive mode to save surrounding sites. Acting Fire Chief Randy Duncan explained that the heavy plaster and lath interior construction “holds heat really well,” which caused the well built structure to burn so hot following the roof collapse. The collapse “channeled all that fire and stuff right up through the beams, and you can see how twisted they are, there’s a lot of heat damage.”
The foot thick walls are all that remain of the Scotts’ dream of attempting to do something for all ages in downtown Portsmouth. Co-owner and attorney Christine Scott told The Times that looking from the outside in prospects for saving any of the interior do not look hopeful. Their best case scenario would apparently be rebuilding with the walls standing and with the front façade. But, even that possibility, requires financing and word from engineers that the walls are not in danger of collapse.
Calling the fire a “great loss,” Ferguson said that “many of the people here in town are devastated; it’s like we’ve lost an old friend.”
