Mon Dec 24, 2012, 06:30 PM

IDemo (12,306 posts)

Arson blamed in burning of Brooklyn ‘Occupy Sandy’ church

Last edited Mon Dec 24, 2012, 06:33 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

Source: RawStory

A two-alarm fire has severely damaged an Episcopal church in Brooklyn, NY that has been serving as a storage and distribution hub for the Occupy Sandy relief effort, just two days ahead of Christmas. According to CBS News New York, fire department officials say that the blaze was intentionally set.

The fire reportedly broke out around 4:00 a.m. on Monday at Brooklyn’s Church of St. Luke and St. Matthew in Clinton Hill. More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene, bringing the blaze under control in about an hour. Much of the damage was to the church’s lobby area and no injuries were reported.

“The ceiling’s gone, the walls and doors are all burned out,” church rector Rev. Michael Sniffen told Alex Silberman of WCBS. Fortunately, he reported, nothing in the sanctuary was damaged and the church hopes to hold Christmas Eve services as scheduled.

Father Chris Ballard said, “We believe that it was arson. There are some gas cans that were found at both entrances. So, it was intentional. Services have been canceled for today and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are on hold. We probably won’t be able to get back into the church by then but this is the season of reconciliation and what darkness lives in the hearts of the person who did this, we don’t know. But this is the season to forgive and try to be compassionate for the illness that this person has.”

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/12/24/arson-blamed-in-burning-of-brooklyn-occupy-sandy-church/

11 replies, 1895 views

Reply to this thread

Always highlight: 10 newest replies | Replies posted after I mark a forum

Replies to this discussion thread

11 replies	Author	Time	Post
Arson blamed in burning of Brooklyn ‘Occupy Sandy’ church (Original post)	IDemo	Dec 2012	OP
That's the Occupy Sandy church!	Hissyspit	Dec 2012	#1
Updated the thread	IDemo	Dec 2012	#2
It was a beautiful church.	In_The_Wind	Dec 2012	#3
It's this one:	Hissyspit	Dec 2012	#4
I believe they were distributing toys today.	Hissyspit	Dec 2012	#6
'Tis the season ...	Summer Hathaway	Dec 2012	#5
And evil marches on...	ReRe	Dec 2012	#7
Only the sickest of the SICK...	bvar22	Dec 2012	#8
I think there could be a little more to this	movonne	Dec 2012	#9
If only the FBI	snot	Dec 2012	#10
A darkness in their heart ...	DakotaLady	Dec 2012	#11

Response to IDemo (Original post)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 06:34 PM

Hissyspit (40,089 posts)

1. That's the Occupy Sandy church!

Last edited Mon Dec 24, 2012, 06:36 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

Since superstorm Sandy hit, the church has been a hub for volunteers helping out in the relief effort.

“I don’t know who would do this, especially around Christmas,” volunteer Kelly Gunther told Silverman.

Occupy Sandy volunteers have used the church to store goods for residents in need.

Three volunteers were sleeping inside the church at the time the fire broke out, Dardashtian reported.

“Luckily, we had people here to catch it in time and got the call in real quick,” a volunteer named Sparky told CBS 2′s Dardashtian.

“Since about a week after the storm, we’ve been using this location as a main distribution hub sending cleaning supplies, immediate aid, first aid supplies, non-perishable foods,” Sparky said. “Basically, any needs the communities have reported to us, we’ve put them through an Amazon and We Pay wedding registry and sent them out to the field.”

Reply to this post

Response to Hissyspit (Reply #1)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 06:36 PM

IDemo (12,306 posts)

2. Updated the thread

The original link had next to no info in the allowed first four sentence/paragraphs.

Reply to this post

Response to IDemo (Original post)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 06:37 PM

In_The_Wind (42,968 posts)

3. It was a beautiful church.

Reply to this post

Response to In_The_Wind (Reply #3)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 06:42 PM

Hissyspit (40,089 posts)

4. It's this one:

Last edited Mon Dec 24, 2012, 06:56 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021908383

...where I delivered supplies in DU's name at the end of November.

Reply to this post

Response to In_The_Wind (Reply #3)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 06:48 PM

Hissyspit (40,089 posts)

6. I believe they were distributing toys today.

Last edited Mon Dec 24, 2012, 06:50 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

Or it was a meeting place for people who wanted to go do the distribution.

Reply to this post

Response to IDemo (Original post)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 06:42 PM

Summer Hathaway (1,779 posts)

5. 'Tis the season ...

"... but this is the season of reconciliation and what darkness lives in the hearts of the person who did this, we don’t know. But this is the season to forgive and try to be compassionate for the illness that this person has.”

Father Ballard sounds like a true Christian.

Reply to this post

Response to IDemo (Original post)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 07:26 PM

ReRe (2,879 posts)

7. And evil marches on...

...and I'm sorry, but my mind wonders to MB. Talk me down from my Christmas Eve "cliff."

Reply to this post

Response to IDemo (Original post)

Mon Dec 24, 2012, 08:24 PM

bvar22 (29,560 posts)

8. Only the sickest of the SICK...

...could do this,
and only the most evil of the haters
could take joy from this.

I find it very difficult to find "compassion" for these haters.
Tonight, they are my enemies.
I will try to let that go.