Why did the fire crews leave the scene? I don't know much about firefighting, but it would seem to me that they would not leave until the fire was completely out.
“Why did the fire crews leave the scene? I don’t know much about firefighting, but it would seem to me that they would not leave until the fire was completely out.”
What do you want to bet that they were ordered to leave by someone that was ordered to order them to leave. Sounds crazy? What doesn’t these days.
Years ago I lived half a block from a reputed mafia arson hit on a famous Philadelphia restaurant and nightclub, Palumbo's, gathering place of all the Italian-American entertainers and every Philly politician for a century, even some Republicans. I met Frank Rizzo there, and also Teddy Kennedy, whose handshake was like a dead fish (I know, right?).
The sodden heap of charred hundred-year-old wooden beams, tables, chairs, bars and stools, liquor bottles, drapery, carpets and hundreds of framed photos of celebrities shaking Mr. Palumbo's hand actually re-ignited three times over the next several days. Could have been the arsonist sneaking back; could have been spontaneous—but where's the drama in that? I'll never forget the smell of it.
The half-a-block site where Frank Sinatra, Louie Prima, Mario Lanza, Eddie Fisher, Al Martino, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell and Jimmie Durante held court became a little brick Rite Aid with a big parking lot. They paved paradise.
