Demolition At Bridgeport Warehouse

By Caroline O'Donovan in News on Jan 27, 2013 8:30PM

Credit: Caroline O’Donovan

Credit: Caroline O’Donovan

Credit: Caroline O’Donovan

Credit: Caroline O’Donovan

Credit: Caroline O’Donovan

Credit: Caroline O’Donovan

Credit: Caroline O’Donovan

A crowd gathered on Saturday afternoon to watch the demolition of the Bridgeport warehouse that caught fire Tuesday night. The blaze rekindled on Friday, prompting the building’s owner, Calvin Boender, to apply for a permit to demolish it. Boender has been in prison for bribery since 2010.

The fire department first said they believed the building accidentally caught fire after vagrants who were living there set a fire to try and keep warm. It is possible, however, that the blaze was set intentionally; the police department is involved in continuing investigations.

The private company hired to perform the “industrial dismantlement” of the building has said the entire process will take about a week. The warehouse once housed a high end furniture factory, but has been vacant for years.