As Duty Officer for the Catering
Units on Sunday night, I received a call at 2345 to the above address.
Control advised me that this was a serious fire and parts of the building
had already collapsed.
I was deeply shocked and saddened
as this was the church where I began my Ordained Ministry in 1989, and
where I conducted my first Christening, first Wedding, first Funeral and
most importantly
for me where I celebrated Mass
for the very first time. It is a Church I have returned to many times
since. By the time I arrived the building was already destroyed.
The first picture, kindly donated
to me, shows just how intense
the fire was. The building was 100% involved in fire and there was
nothing that the fire-fighters could do to save it.
I am very grateful to the Officer in Charge who very kindly made arrangements for me to be taken around the perimeter of the Church, where I took the next selection of photographs between 0330 and 0345.
The remaining photographs were taken mid-morning on Monday 13 February and again my thanks to the F&RS for the help I received.
