Odds are it might've been an electrical fire... Many of these old homes have outdated, non grounded, barely insulated wiring, with those old cylinder type fuses... Plug in a modern washer and dryer and watch the wiring smoke! Sometimes, it's also an extremely old heating system that just can't squeeze out another BTU without going super critical... Revamping these homes structurally and bringing all utilities and HVAC up to present code cost mucho money, and more a "labor of love" than a feasible "return on investment"... Many just don't have the money...
Old homes are pretty to look at. However they are fire traps. They lack modern fire stops & contain dangerous chemicals. They have old wiring that lacks proper insulation & lack grounding. Unless the new owner wants to save the architectural pieces & gut the home to bare studs & revamp everything (which is very costly). Install sprinklers & fire escapes. Most will never be modernized. The costs exceed the value of the home. Often times it’s easier to build a brand new home with pieces saved from older homes incorporated into it.
I'm not from Boston, but this is very sad news. I hope that the building can be saved.
Very sad to hear. I love old buildings.
Odds are it might've been an electrical fire... Many of these old homes have outdated, non grounded, barely insulated wiring, with those old cylinder type fuses... Plug in a modern washer and dryer and watch the wiring smoke! Sometimes, it's also an extremely old heating system that just can't squeeze out another BTU without going super critical... Revamping these homes structurally and bringing all utilities and HVAC up to present code cost mucho money, and more a "labor of love" than a feasible "return on investment"... Many just don't have the money...
Old homes are pretty to look at. However they are fire traps. They lack modern fire stops & contain dangerous chemicals. They have old wiring that lacks proper insulation & lack grounding. Unless the new owner wants to save the architectural pieces & gut the home to bare studs & revamp everything (which is very costly). Install sprinklers & fire escapes. Most will never be modernized. The costs exceed the value of the home. Often times it’s easier to build a brand new home with pieces saved from older homes incorporated into it.
Any updates?