Miission San Gabriel after the devastating fire (Photo – San Gabriel City)
Here’s the latest on the Mission San Gabriel fire that damaged the 215-year-old church:
By News Desk
1- The investigation has become a multi-agency effort with help from the Verdugo Arson Task Force, the Los Angeles Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
2- Given the nature of the incident, and the size of the structure involved in the fire, this investigation will require a significant amount of time to complete as investigators analyze the scene. The building has been declared unsafe and has been red tagged.
3- San Gabriel Mayor Denise Menchaca released the following statement:
We are all deeply heartbroken by the fire that took place earlier this week at the Mission San Gabriel. If you’d like to support the Mission San Gabriel during this challenging time, I encourage you to visit their website for more information on their recovery efforts.
4- The fire broke out one day after renovations had been completed.
5- The 110-year-old pews had been refurbished and placed back inside the church the day before.
6- The renovations cost close to $200,000.
7- 50 firefighters and 20 emergency vehicles from Monterey Park, South Pasadena, Arcadia, Alhambra and Pasadena, responded to the scene. It took more than two hours to extinguish the fire.
8- The fire may have begun at the choir loft and spread to the roof.
9- The “Our Lady of Sorrows” painting, estimated to be 285 years old, had been removed from the church during the renovations process, a move that ultimately saved it from the fire.
10- A Fire Restoration Fund has been set-up, with 100% of donations made to stay at Mission San Gabriel. (Click on Donate Now button and designate your donation to the “Old Mission and Gardens” tab).
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