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Jan 11, 2008 4:21 pm US/Eastern
Investigation Can't Find Cause Of Gloucester Fire
Investigators Can't Pin Down Cause But Rule Out Arson
GLOUCESTER (WBZ) ―
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The eight alarm fire destroyed an apartment building and temple.
WBZ/Jay Albert
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Fire crews searched for weeks for the body of 70-year-old Robert Taylor after the fire broke out at the four-story apartment building on Dec. 14.
Gloucester Daily Times
An eight-alarm fire that razed a four-story Gloucester apartment building and nearby synagogue and killed a 70-year-old man was so intense that it destroyed evidence of the blaze's origins.
State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan and Gloucester authorities say the Dec. 14 fire probably started in the basement near the center of the apartment building. But it's impossible to be more specific because of the extent of destruction.
The investigation also determined the fire wasn't arson, although its exact cause remains undetermined. Investigators say the fire could have been started by a cigarette, a lamp igniting furniture or a mechanical or electrical malfunction.
The fire at 80 Middle Street killed Robert Taylor, who lived on the third floor. It took nearly three weeks to find his remains among the rubble. Recovery efforts were hindered by snow, freezing temperatures and high concentrations of asbestos inside the apartment building.
The fire completely destroyed the 24-unit apartment building and the nearby Ahavat Achim Temple.
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