Fire destroys Texas governor's mansion

Yahoo ^

[Sub-Driver]

Fire destroys Texas governor's mansion

12 minutes ago

Texas state officials say a four-alarm fire has caused "catastrophic" damage to the Texas Governor's Mansion in Austin.

Governor's spokesman Robert Black says said no one was inside the 150-year-old home when the fire began shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday. He says the cause is not yet known.

The mansion had been undergoing a $10 million renovation and Gov. Rick Perry and his wife had moved out last fall.

Black says the damage to the mansion "is extraordinary, bordering on catastrophic."

He says more than 100 firefighters are at the scene and the roof of the mansion is very unstable.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Gunna be a mess to fix,,,

Tear out what’s left inside,,,maybe just in a few places,,,

the main/bearing walls look ok,,,

Looks like it burned straight up into the attic and out,,,

The roof is 1950s and renovation took place between 1979

and 1982(inside/?)

These old places were built of heavy timbers and brick,,,

I bet they can save it...

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkifrYkxI8kYAwTxXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEybDlzcW1oBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNARjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkA0Y4MjJfODg-/SIG=12j509011/EXP=1213052011/**http%3a//www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/GG/ccg3.html

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

LOL,,,The last time I paid money to see him(1976?)

He didn’t show-up! None of that bunch but Daved Allen Coe!

All day long in an East Texas cow pasture,,,HOT!...;0)

[El Gato]

One would think caretakers would be watching out for this place.

News reports, and the DPS spokesman say it was the security types that first noticed and reported the fire. There apparently was video surveillance, plus the smoke/fire detectors went off. The caretaker's facility may be at the opposite end of the grounds. There is a building there, on the north corner, but I don't know exactly what it's used for.

[PghBaldy]

A tragic loss for Texas and for America. Makes me sick and I’m not even a Texan. I hope they catch who’s responsible.

[Dog Gone]

I don't pity the poor fool who did this. It may have been some drunken UT student or even perhaps one of their commie faculty members, or perhaps it was just someone who hates Texas, or somehow thinks they firebombed the governor. It doesn't matter. I want the maximum penalty.

I want their life destroyed, just as they did to the history of Texas.

No mercy.

I am furious about this.

This is ten times worse than the arson at Dubya's former home in Odessa. This was an attack on over 150 years of Texas history.

Those who have ventured on this thread to lecture us that it's only a building have no appreciation for history or its importance. I have no patience for that stupidity. This is a big deal, and someone should pay for a very very long time.

[El Gato]

Probably someone stealing copper and setting the fire to cover up the theft

Possibly, but there was video surviellence, and that would take time. I'm leaning toward somethinglike "drug addled peacenik rushes front door with Molotov cocktail. Manages not to turn himself into a torch, throws the thing through the front door, and beats feet back to campus."

Although one tried that at my college back in 1970, (Cambodian incursion), He was the same guy who I heard with my own ears say "Shut it Down or We'll Burn It Down". We didn't shut it down. He managed to scorch the carpet in an office inside the student union.

[El Gato]

He didn’t show-up!

I was wrong, misread the month. Willie's Place doesn't open until late September, depending on Willie's pot allocation for the people building it.

[AnAmericanMother]

On a big renovation job they might well work Saturdays.

But if the fire marshal says it's suspected arson, it's definitely 'incendiary origin'. He's on the scene, and he's no doubt already got his samples in a jar.

So, not a contractor accident, although in renovations that's the way to bet.

I hope they catch 'em quick. What an ugly thing to do.

[CindyDawg]

Well... It still may turn out “accidental..nothing to see here folks”

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

I wonder if that ol’chickin’thief will show-up Then?..LOL;0)

[Impy]

I know he lived there. I said it’s useless to the people because they (the people) don’t live there.

[Ditter]

Do you mean that Willie is playing in Dallas? I love Willie Nelson I have every song he ever recorded. We just came through on our way home from Oklahoma on Monday. I would have stopped and gone to see him if I had known.

[K-oneTexas]

Messing with the Governor is not messing with Texas. Messing with him isn't the issue. As a citizen of Texas and resident od Austin I can say what I want about my elected officials (within the legal limits of the law).

He is the stuffed shirt we elected to that office, nothing more. I do not care him as Governor or a Lt. Governor, he showed me nothing in either position other than his disdain for the people. Any governor that isn't doing his job needs to go, Republican or Democrat, it doesn't matter.

Perry has run roughshod over the wishes of many citizens in this State. The Legislature doesn't fare much better. One of his blatant swipes at the citizens of Texas is to foist toll roads on them, built upon roads that were already paid for by tax dollars.
Toll roads have their place, when government goes and purchases the land (hopefully at fair market value) and builds the new road (toll or free), like the majority of SH 130 here in Austin. I don't even care that much that a Spanish firm gets benefit of the tolls since they put much of the funding in it.

Him making the citizens pay to rent, $10k/mo, for him on a house while the Mansion is refurbished is an outrage. If he needs that home he should foot the bill with a small stipend from the State. The State doesn't owe him a house to live in, it just so happens one was here for a century and a half.

He likes luxury and expects the citizens to pay for it. He's Governor and the people owe him, that is the way he walks through life. His opinion counts the citizens opinion doesn't. He is without a doubt a pure unadulterated politician, nothing more - nothing less. I don't like him, nor do I respect him ... and therefore I will not vote for him again. I'm not messing with Texas ... just the fools that we elect to represent us. That is allowed.

[Gabz]

Those who have ventured on this thread to lecture us that it's only a building have no appreciation for history or its importance. I have no patience for that stupidity.

I absolutely, totally agree with you.......and not only am I not from Texas, but I have never even had the privelege of visiting your great state. I have been following this thread most of the day and when my husband cme home this afternoon I immediately told him about it, as he spent many a happy year living in Texas.

The comments of a yankee made on this thread appalled me. And I say that as a former yankee from NYC (although never a Yankee fan).

My husband is a life long student of history and works diligently to instill his love of it in our daughter.

I am always saddened by the loss of historic buildings, whether or not they hold any personal thing to me. I can only imagine the sadness of Texans today.

[CindyDawg]

You still don’t get it. It’s not about a building or a house. We can rebuild it. It’s about our history...a history that our children can pass to their children....

[CindyDawg]

Well some may agree with you. Respectfully, I don’t. He’s our problem but messing with him is messing with Texas. The mansion and the office of governor belong to us.

[CindyDawg]

You sound like you would be an excellent Texan. Come visit us sometime.

[Dog Gone]

Amen to that.

[AnAmericanMother]

Thanks for the inside info!

[Gabz]

Thank you both. That is a very nice sentiment.