"Linden Burning!"

[louisemnnpls]

Just talked with my son and daughter-in-law, as it is their anniversary, but needless to say they were not real happy! The live in Linden, MI, and Friday night 1/4 of their downtown burned down. Just looked at the photos on the internet and it's devastating!!!It's just such a beautiful town.....like the most idyllic midwestern town you'd see on a post card. (A huge park with a big waterwheel, a band shell where they have concerts every week in the summer, and old mill, huge park with terraces, and little boys, and grandpas fishing.) It looks like it came right out of a Norman Rockwell painting, so this is very sad. :(

[louisemnnpls]

Have a link to the Linden paper about the fire. Let's see if it'll work.

http://www.tctimes.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18363166&BRD=2524&PAG=461&dept_id=494488&rfi=6

[louisemnnpls]

It works....at least right now....don't know for how long.

[talbot10]

HI L Originally posted by louisemnnpls:
Just talked with my son and daughter-in-law, as it is their anniversary, but needless to say they were not real happy! The live in Linden, MI, and Friday night 1/4 of their downtown burned down. Just looked at the photos on the internet and it's devastating!!!It's just such a beautiful town.....like the most idyllic midwestern town you'd see on a post card. (A huge park with a big waterwheel, a band shell where they have concerts every week in the summer, and old mill, huge park with terraces, and little boys, and grandpas fishing.) It looks like it came right out of a Norman Rockwell painting, so this is very sad. :( Hi Louise,
I am sorry to hear about Linden. It sure sounds like a slice of Americana and a great place to live. I an Happy to hear your Son and Daughter-in-law are safe. I hope they had a good anniversary. All the best.
Bill

[louisemnnpls]

Bill,

Thanks for your concern. No one was hurt, so that was a blessing. It started right during the dinner hour, when the restaurant was filled with diners, but everyone got out of all the buildings, and no firefighters were injured. So,
buildings can be rebuilt, and with people helping people, new relationships are built. They had a fund donated this year for planning and beautification for the downtown area. So, besides the insurance money, they will have something to begin with. My husband wanted to go up there next weekend, but our kids will be gone for a golf tournament. Thanks again for replying.I felt kind of silly talking to myself.
But, then I do that alot. :) ;) tongue.gif :rolleyes: :)

[charlene]

I just viewed the pics - what a terrible shame-but like you said - no one was hurt and as horrible it may be to lose some old structures it's amazing no one was hurt and everyone is safe.

[louisemnnpls]

Char,
It was amazing that no one was injured. It started at 6:45 pm, in the rear of the Broad Street Grill (it wasn't like it sounded...it was a pretty upscale place). One of the employees said that he heard sounds like arching and sparking, so it's possible that it could've been electrical in origin. The irony is that the firestation is right across the street. But they said with buildings that old, they are like tinder, and the fire had to be fought completely from the outside. Our kids moved there 3 1/2 years ago, but have really adopted it. I've never seen a community, where they have so many things going on, both winter and summer.

[Jesse Joe]

That's terrible Louise, glad to hear no one was injured. :(

[louisemnnpls]

Jesse-Joe, Yes, like on the plane you were just talking about from Moncton to Toronto. (If the landing gear had collapsed on impact....that could have been BAD!)

In this case it was Friday night, so the people in the offices in that block, where probably already gone. There were apts., upstairs, but no one was hurt there either, thank goodness!

[Jesse Joe]

Hey Louise,

Some good luck after the bad luck I guess. You never know eh ? Here today, gone tomorrow. I read the Linden paper article you provided with your link. It's really sad but it's like they say you can replace building , but not people. So like you just said, "thank goodness"...

And your right about the plane, it could have gone really bad. :eek:


All the best to you and yours,

~Jesse~ :)

[louisemnnpls]

Originally posted by Jesse-Joe.:
Hey Louise,

Some good luck after the bad luck I guess. You never know eh ? Here today, gone tomorrow. I read the Linden paper article you provided with your link. It's really sad but it's like they say you can replace building , but not people. So like you just said, "thank goodness"...

And your right about the plane, it could have gone really bad. :eek:


All the best to you and yours,

~Jesse~ :) An update about Linden - they are already talking about rebuilding, and making it better than it was before. They want to take some of the bricks from the buildings and incorporating them into the new buildings and walkways, etc.

(By the way 28 fire departments responded to the fire. But, there are just all small towns around there.)