One year later, no arrests in arson at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Investigators said the fire that broke out last Christmas Eve at Carpenters' Hall in Old City Philadelphia was intentionally set, with the suspected arsonist breaking into the basement in the back of the building. One year later, no arrests have been made, but investigators say they have multiple leads.
CBS Philadelphia was able to tour the inside of Carpenters' Hall, the site of the first-ever Continental Congress, which led to the Declaration of Independence, shortly after the fire while the building was still undergoing repairs. A charred door leading to the basement of Carpenters' Hall stood out amongst irreplaceable artifacts dating back to the 18th century. Today, that door has been replaced as part of a $1.5 million rebuilding project. Another $75,000 was spent on enhanced security features including new alarms and surveillance cameras.
"Fortunately, [the fire] was contained to the basement so we didn't have significant damage to the building itself or to the main hall," Carpenters' Hall's executive director Michael Norris said at the time. Philadelphia firefighters put out the flames in 30 minutes, leaving behind burned archival material in the basement.
RELATED: Carpenters' Hall was set on fire on Christmas Eve
"Last year was not a happy Christmas," said Norris, who is still hopeful investigators will find the person who started the fire. Norris said the building did not have surveillance cameras in the basement or back of the building where the suspected arsonist broke in. That has since changed since Carpenters' Hall's reopening in July.
Alan Gilmore, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said evidence was collected during the investigation and sent to a lab but wouldn't comment on the results because it's still an active investigation. Gilmore said investigators have multiple leads.
"It would be nice to know, have closure, who did it and why. There's speculation, was it random, was it targeted, we don't know," Norris said. "That's unsettling a bit, to not know."
READ MORE: Philadelphia's Carpenters' Hall reopens to public after December 2022 fire
Carpenters' Hall has had more than 50,000 visitors since reopening in July and events are planned throughout 2024 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of The Carpenters' Company.
Carpenters' Hall is free and open to the public Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check the website for winter hours starting in January.
If you have any information about the fire at Carpenters' Hall on Christmas Eve 2022, you can text the code ATFPHI to 63975.
