[28
FEB 01] COVENTRY CATHEDRAL NEWS
Arson Hunt Follows Cathedral Fire
Yesterday's
blaze at Coventry Cathedral is being treated as arson, and police have
launched an investigation into the fire.
Loss
adjustors and conservation experts were meeting today to try and work out the extent of the damage caused by
yesterday’s fire.
GRAHAM SUTHERLAND'S
TAPESTRY
The
blaze, discovered shortly after 8am in a storeroom in the basement,
was serious, but did not spread to the main part of the building.
Fire
officers have traced the root of the blaze to a fire in a wooden
locker. West Midlands Police today confirmed they were investigating fire as
it could be down to arson.
Fire
service spokesman Ian McWilliam said there were two possible causes of
the blaze, and investigations had been passed over to the police for
them to carry out interviews and try and find out what the cause was.
He
said:
"The
fire investigation is completed. We certainly have a source of where
the fire started.
"The
police are now pursuing their investigations as to the possible
causes."
More
than 70 firefighters were called in to contain the fire, and to stop
smoke spreading to the valuable works of art on display.
But
some white smoke did filter through and settle.
The
world-famous Graham Sutherland tapestry of Christ in Glory is
particularly affected.
Experts
will be looking at it today to see how bad the soot damage is and how
it can be cleaned.
Diocesan
spokesman Lawrence Mortimer said a working group set up to try and get
the cathedral back to normal would be meeting today to consider the
next step.
He
said:
“I
don’t know until yesterday that there were different types of
soot. It’s difficult to know what the best thing to do is, but
that will be discussed today.”
Acting
Dean of Coventry Cathedral, Canon Stuart Beake, who was on site
throughout the incident said:
"I
am full of praise for the way the fire service has responded so
immediately and sensitively to what could have been a major
disaster, and I have nothing but praise for the way our own
Cathedral staff is coping".
The
Bishop of Coventry, the Right Reverend Colin Bennetts, currently out
of the country, phoned to say:
"I
am very distressed to hear about the fire. I thank God that it was
not worse than it was and that nobody was hurt".
Neighbouring
church, Holy Trinity Coventry, has offered the Cathedral congregation
a temporary home for as long as it takes for the smoke to clear.
Today’s service for Ash Wednesday will take place there.
SEE
[27 FEB 01]:
FIRE GRIPS COVENTRY CATHEDRAL
SEE:
20
FACTS ABOUT COVENTRY CATHEDRAL
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