Church Fire Aftermath

Globe Staff Photo by David L. Ryan

January 19, 2005, Boston, MA

Behind the Photos Feature

Usually they don't let you in, because they worry about the building collapsing. TV went in, and I followed them. I said, "Do you mind if I go in?" and the fire marshal was kind of nervous, like "Oh. OK." We had to go up stairs, and it was like climbing this ice mountain. You look around, and you know you're seeing pictures, and it looks great. But if it's for a paper, you always need a little news sense - a fireman or a police officer. I just think, "Please go down that aisle," and sure enough, they do. Usually, I make pictures in five or 10 minutes. I don't want to labor for five hours wondering how the icicles are gonna melt. Poor church, I always feel bad - fire and flood are just awful for people. I tell you what's good about journalism: People sometimes think we're ghouls, but at least if somebody's house burns down, and it's in the paper, and somebody's crying over their stuffed animal, most of the time the insurance company will just give them their check. When it's known, people make contributions or investigate why it happened. Sometimes, if it's not known, nobody gives a darn.