Arizona KH fire updates

by Parliament 10 Replies latest jw friends

  • Parliament
    Parliament

    I have a cousin that goes to that hall. I'm getting updates almost daily. I'll try and post them here.

    Heres todays: I had a chance to visit our burned out KH and it is a mess. Whoever did it torched the front door area and the doors were completely distroyed. The whole front entrance area was burnt along with the library and all the books. The fire distroyed 1/4 of the roof on one side of the building. Since we had 4 roof top A/C units on the roof it look like three can be reused. The brothers were able to salvage some of the chairs and the files that were in an area opposite the fire. There was heavy smoke damage but they were able to recover all important papers. The RBC was at the KH the next day and recommended to completely remove the whole building and start new. The adjoining congregations opened there doors so we have places to meet. Since 4 congregations were meeting in the hall, we were the largest congregation so we will completely move our meetings to a different KH temporarily. The other congregations will be absorbed into other congregations for the time being. The RBC expects to have the new building done and complete in 2 months. It's a good goal, so we will see if that happens. Due to delivery of some items, I expect the building to be completed between 2-3 months. Once they clear the building it is possible that we will need to install a new concrete slab. The existing slab has a large crack down the middle so I have been told but that was repaired years ago. We will need new concrete slab for the addition we had proposed to add on but the RBC was having us wait because there are too many KH's that are need in the Phoenix area. Besides BS, the growth in Phoenix is 3500 a month moving in. We are now the 5 largest city in the United States. We exceeded San Diago 2 years ago. So now we are top priority on the RBC's list, all work including the proposed addition will we done at the same time. The Society had us open a seperate bank account and money will be transfered into that account.

  • Scully
    Scully

    There are a few things about this account that make me wonder whether it was an "inside job"....

    Whoever did it torched the front door area and the doors were completely distroyed. The whole front entrance area was burnt along with the library and all the books. The fire distroyed 1/4 of the roof on one side of the building. Since we had 4 roof top A/C units on the roof it look like three can be reused. The brothers were able to salvage some of the chairs and the files that were in an area opposite the fire. There was heavy smoke damage but they were able to recover all important papers. The RBC was at the KH the next day and recommended to completely remove the whole building and start new. The adjoining congregations opened there doors so we have places to meet. Since 4 congregations were meeting in the hall, we were the largest congregation so we will completely move our meetings to a different KH temporarily. The other congregations will be absorbed into other congregations for the time being. The RBC expects to have the new building done and complete in 2 months. It's a good goal, so we will see if that happens. Due to delivery of some items, I expect the building to be completed between 2-3 months. Once they clear the building it is possible that we will need to install a new concrete slab. The existing slab has a large crack down the middle so I have been told but that was repaired years ago. We will need new concrete slab for the addition we had proposed to add on but the RBC was having us wait because there are too many KH's that are need in the Phoenix area. Besides BS, the growth in Phoenix is 3500 a month moving in. We are now the 5 largest city in the United States. We exceeded San Diago 2 years ago. So now we are top priority on the RBC's list, all work including the proposed addition will [b]e done at the same time. The Society had us open a seperate bank account and money will be transfered into that account.

    Do congregations normally carry insurance on Kingdom Halls? I seem to remember the one we attended had insurance payments, but that was ages ago, and I could be mistaken about that. Oh, and if anyone was hoping that their publisher record card or DF/DA records went up in smoke, they're S.O.L. apparently:

    brothers were able to salvage some of the chairs and the files that were in an area opposite the fire. There was heavy smoke damage but they were able to recover all important papers.

    Love, Scully

  • blondie
    blondie

    Car and health insurance was carried on the CO/DO and their wives. That was assessed yearly to the congregations at about $6 a publisher. For many years KHs have been self insured.

    Blondie

  • Insomniac
    Insomniac

    It kinda makes me think. About 1 1/2 yrs ago, the Brunswick, Maine (USA) k-hall was torched. It happened late night/early morning, so no one was hurt. Funny thing was, it had been up for sale, with no takers, for some time. They wanted to build something newer and bigger. Apparently, the insurance settlement was plenty to buy the new lot. Seems a little hinky to me.

  • Pistoff
    Pistoff

    Our old hall had insurance with the society; they routinely denied claims, telling us to pay out of pocket to keep costs down. There were more than a few of us irritated by this policy.

  • imallgrowedup
    imallgrowedup

    No sleep -

    What do you want to bet that the particular hall you mention was insured by a company who had an adjuster in that very hall?

    growedup

    P.S. Do you know the address of the hall by any chance?

  • Scully
    Scully

    Pistoff writes:

    Our old hall had insurance with the society; they routinely denied claims, telling us to pay out of pocket to keep costs down. There were more than a few of us irritated by this policy.

    So, not only Religion Is a Snare and a Racket?, apparently WTS Insurance is too. Love, Scully

  • imallgrowedup
    imallgrowedup

    Scully -

    Would you happen to know the name the WT uses for the insurance arm of the borg?

    growedup

  • Gopher
    Gopher
    About 1 1/2 yrs ago, the Brunswick, Maine (USA) k-hall was torched. It happened late night/early morning, so no one was hurt. Funny thing was, it had been up for sale, with no takers, for some time. They wanted to build something newer and bigger. Apparently, the insurance settlement was plenty to buy the new lot.

    Almost the same thing happened in North Minneapolis back in 1985. One Saturday night a fire started inside a heating/AC unit under the roof near the stage. It was "accidental", but they soon had their nice new hall located in a suburb (as opposed to the crime-ridden neighborhood with little or no off-street parking where they were situated before). It was a very convenient fire, to say the least.

    Are such convenient fires indication of Jehovah's blessing? Some JW's seem to think so.

  • ThiChi
    ThiChi

    The "inside job" theory is very circumstantial. Arson Investigators are very savvy when looking for these types of crimes. Though the Jws are very misguided in many areas, based on my experince, I cannot think of one elder that would have considered this course......

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