Both the Westerly Sun and Providence Journal reported on the house fire in Rockville last week. I have noticed that the Journal has been getting much better in reporting our local events and beat the Sun to an article by about 5 days. Additionally, the Journal article was a lot more complete (no surprises there). The Journal included a very intriguing sentence that was completely and totally missed by the Sun. The Journal reports,
[Fire Chief Frederick] Stanley said the family had shut off the electric power and was apparently using candles for light. Candles, he said, do not appear to be the cause of the fire, which seems to have started in the stairway area leading to the second floor.
We also learn from the article that the house in question was being rented at the time but no one was home and no one was hurt.
But the point is that people in Hopkinton are hurting so badly they are using candles for light and turning off the electricity.
It also begs the question of whether we should make candles illegal for renters since we don’t trust their ability to determine if an apartment has at least two exits and a smoke detector.
October 2, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Much misinformation in this post, son of owner was living in house, might be renters, but not in the traditional sense.
October 14, 2008 at 1:06 am
No, no misinformation. Just quoting the papers. “Might be renters”? Is your information any better? It appears pretty sketchy.
October 16, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Family of “owner of record” was living in the house. Always have been since it was purchased.
October 17, 2008 at 3:22 am
And what does this have to do with the price of tea in China? The point I was making was that the newspaper article stated that these people were using candles for light, as opposed to light bulbs. In making this point, I was trying to support the position that people do not have a lot of money in Hopkinton. As such, building a new Town Hall is the most assinine thing I have heard the Town Manager say since he got the job…
October 17, 2008 at 4:06 am
I don’t think the occupants of the house were that strapped, they simply make choices that you or me might not make. For example, I would forego beer and smokes in favor of electric. The newspaper said the electric was shut off, but it wasn’t by the electric company, it was shut off at the service entrance to the house….obviously by the occupants.
I agree with you about building a new town hall.