Destroyed

Officials: Provo Tabernacle fire likely caused by lamp

Jim Dalrymple - Daily Herald | Posted: Thursday, March 31, 2011 10:14 am
PROVO -- Fire officials have determined that an incandescent light placed on a wooden box ignited the fire that destroyed the Provo Tabernacle.
A final report on the fire released Thursday indicates that the light was an energized 300 watt bulb, and was placed too close to combustible materials. Eventually the light caught fire and destroyed the historic building on Dec. 17. The report places the cost of the damage at $15 million.
The report blames an inadequate notification system, a lack of an automatic sprinkler system, an additional fuel load brought in for a concert and repeated human error for the destructive scope of the blaze.
According to the report, the building had a fire detection system that was installed in 1985. The system included smoke detectors placed throughout the building, but did not have off-site monitoring. The system was reportedly inspected on Dec. 2 and failed due to unacceptable sensor sensitivity. Fire officials were not informed of the failure, despite laws requiring them to be notified.
Provo Fire Battalion Chief Gary Jolley said that it is the responsibility of the property owner and the party conducting the inspection to alert fire authorities about failed systems.
The report also portrays a comprehensive picture of the causes and the progress of the fire. It states that on Dec. 15 Trax Lighting and AV came into the building to prepare for the Lex de Azevedo choir’s upcoming “Gloria” concert. The concert included numerous musicians and performers, and was scheduled to be recorded by BYU Broadcasting. Trax Lighting and AV was contracted to light the performances.
Though lighting plans did not originally call for it, Trax Lighting and AV technician Jeremy Ostler allegedly added a suspended lighting truss to the stage set up because he felt it was necessary to adequately illuminate the performers.
In the process of installing the suspended truss, Ostler reportedly accessed the tabernacle’s attic. The report states that it is unclear how Ostler got into the attic. Ostler allegedly said building coordinator Robert Rasmussen let him, but later said he used a key to enter the attic. He later allegedly changed his story and said the attic access point was unlocked. However, Rasmussen reportedly said he did not let Ostler into the attic and that the door was not unlocked.
During Ostler’s lighting preparations on Dec. 15 he reportedly said he suspended the trusses and set aside two of the building’s eight incandescent lights in the process.
Chief Jolley explained that the lights were removed from the ceiling to make room for the trusses. He added that there are safety procedures that have to be followed when removing lights.
“When they set those out there are specific ways to do that,” Jolley said, “and that’s to remove bulbs and make sure it is not energized.”
The report states that Ostler claimed he removed the bulbs. He then allegedly put the light on wooden boxes.
However, Jolley said it appears that the bulbs were not removed and the lights were, in fact, energized. The report adds that Rasmussen and two other individuals refuted Ostler’s claim, saying that all eight incandescent light fixtures had lamps in them.
On Dec. 16 choir members conducted a dress rehearsal in the tabernacle. The report states that choir members said circuit breakers tripped as the lighting was powered up, though there is no evidence the tripped breakers are related to the fire. Choir members also reportedly smelled “hot glue” or “hot lights” but did not report these smells to the fire department. Two BYU Broadcast camera operators also reportedly discussed smelling smoke, but attributed the smell to hot lights.
The dress rehearsal concluded at 10 p.m., the report states. BYU Broadcasting producer Tyler Weston and off-duty Provo police officer Austin Williams — who was hired as a security guard by BYU Broadcasting — walked through the building and made sure all the doors were locked. The report also states that Ostler disconnected his cables from an outdoor generator. Ostler reportedly left the building at 11:15 p.m.
Williams later entered the building at 1:10 a.m. on Dec. 17 to reset the heater. He reportedly heard an alarm when he went inside, but believed it was an intruder alert. He checked the building and reportedly heard “popping and crackling sounds.” He attributed the noises to the building settling.
Williams contacted Weston, who in turn contacted Rasmussen. Weston relayed to Williams that the alarm had malfunctioned in the past, and that he should simply turn it off. After several attempts, Williams succeeded in turning the alarm off.
The report then states that at 2:39 a.m. a Nu Skin security guard saw what looked like smoke or steam coming out of the building. The security guard told Williams, who went in the building and discovered a fire on the stage. He also reportedly saw a burning, 10 by 10-foot hole in the ceiling. Williams then called authorities and fire crews responded about a minute later.
In addition to inadequate detection and sprinkler systems, the report points out that the materials brought into the building for the upcoming concert provided fuel for the fire. It specifically states that Styrofoam arches provided ladder fuel, lifting the fire from the stage to the choir loft.
But human error stands out in the report as the most significant culprit. It states that individuals involved with the production failed to recognize and respond to dangerous situations, didn’t report the smoke in the building, and did not adequately respond to the alarms.
But despite the human error involved in the fire, no one has been criminally charged, and the report describes the blaze as an accident.
Jolley said the future of the building would be determined by its owner, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Following the release of the fire department report, the LDS Church issued a statement.
“The Provo Tabernacle was a meaningful part of church history and the Provo community,” Scott Trotter, a church spokesperson, said in an email. “The recent fire is a tragedy for all who loved the building and its link to our pioneer past.”
Despite rampant rumors about rebuilding, the church only publicly indicated that it is still deciding what to do with the building.
“Church leaders continue to evaluate and explore options for the building and we will make those plans known as soon as they are available,” Trotter said.

Michael was in the Phantom.

BIG-TIME MUSICAL

Central Ohio students among first amateurs to take on 'Phantom'

Saturday, March 12, 2011  02:54 AM

BY AMY SAUNDERS

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

In the most famous moment, the chandelier doesn't necessarily plummet to the stage in a terrifying fashion so much as it gradually wobbles down near the performers.

Yet this is The Phantom of the Opera as performed by Johnstown-Monroe High School, with an enrollment of 477. And the chandelier is made from two-by-fours.

Students at the Licking County school are staging the ambitious musical twice today and Sunday, having dedicated six months to the production instead of their typical 10 weeks.

Given the demanding operatic music, the complicated special effects and the dialogue that is more often sung than spoken, musical director Jeff Rings previously thought that no high school could manage it.

"I still sort of feel that way," he said. "It has been a very huge stretch for high schoolers."

Until this spring-musical season, Phantom hadn't been performed by teenagers - or any theatrical groups other than professionals.

Rights to musicals aren't typically released to amateur groups until the show has finished its Broadway run. ButPhantom was made available in the fall, even as it continues to play New York - as it has since 1988 - and Las Vegas.

The production has been seen by 100million people worldwide.

Johnstown-Monroe and Delaware Hayes High School are among the 20 Ohio schools that secured the rights to perform the production, said Bert Fink, spokesman for the licensing agency R&H Theatricals.

Andrew Lloyd Webber is "a great believer in music education, and letting schools do Phantom is a remarkable learning opportunity for them," Fink said.

"It was rather groundbreaking to make the work available while it was running on Broadway, but it came with certain restrictions."

The rights to a musical often come with stipulations: Only schools, not community troupes, can perform Phantom - although the situation is sometimes reversed.

Chicago is available to older actors, but Pickerington North High School was denied the rights two years in a row, with the licensing agency citing the show's adult themes.

"Just because we want to do a show doesn't mean we're going to get the rights," said Margaret Lawson, the school's theater director. " Mamma Mia! would be my No.1 choice, but it's going to be awhile, I think. It's still packing them in in New York."

National tours can also derail plans for school musicals: Dublin Jerome High School couldn't perform Les Miserables this year because, next week, Broadway Across America will present the show in the Ohio Theatre.

Instead, the school last month performed Les Miserables: School Edition, a shortened version that apparently didn't interfere with performances of the touring group, said Jerome theater director Patty Scott.

"They (organizers) fear they could lose their audience," she said, "although, with Les Mizcoming in, ... they probably gained audience because all my kids were so excited to see the professional version."

The cost of a show can also be an inhibiting factor: For Phantom, Johnstown-Monroe paid $2,800 for royalties and for the rental of music and scripts - based on the size of its auditorium and planned ticket prices.

Overall, the production is almost twice as expensive as the school's previous shows. To offset much of the $20,000 cost, boosters hosted a dinner and silent auction in the fall.

At the same time, students and parents began building the set: elevating the stage to insert trapdoors and creating the mechanics of the chandelier and of the boat that sails through the Phantom's underground lair.

Rings began working with the students on the difficult, sometimes-

discordant music, selecting understudies for each lead actor because the roles require so much singing.

"It's extremely challenging to get that operatic sound from these immature voices," said 17-year-old senior Kaitlyn Sapp, who started voice lessons - and watched aria performances on YouTube - to prepare for the role of the opera diva, Carlotta.

"But we have a strange amount of talent. The fact that we can double-cast is pretty extraordinary."

Preparation for Phantom is under way for the April28-30 performances at Delaware Hayes.

Students at first thought the announcement of the show was a joke, musical director Michelle Howes said.

"We wanted the 'wow,'" she said. "The student body is more excited for this show than any show since I've been here."

The Johnstown students, many of whom saw Phantom on Broadway last year, are confident that their production is a good representation of a work that much of the audience will have seen onstage or in the 2004 movie adaptation.

"The music is beyond what you've seen in a high school, and we have to rise to that level," said 17-year-old senior Casey Miller, who plays Raoul, the love interest of the main character, Christine.

"It's not something a high school should ... do or ... be able to do. But we pulled it off because of hundreds, thousands of hours."

asaunders@dispatch.com

Thanks, Shawn, for Helping Cyd

Thanks, Shawn, for taking time out of your busy schedule to go to the hospital and take Cyd and her mom-in-law out for lunch. She said: "Shawn is just a fine man. He was always such a kind person and we really appreciated him." Besides that, Dad and I appreciate your thoughtfulness as well. (She also couldn't get over Brigitta being so old.:))

When we got to the hospital this evening, Mike was glad to see us. Though he cannot talk, he can grip your hand and he looks right at you. I think that he is doing better. He will not be out of danger until Monday evening. But he can say no. He can shake his head yes and no. He is able to eat pureed food and seems to enjoy it. He sat up and stood briefly today with the physical therapist there. He can also follow directions. That is probably the most important. Tomorrow they are doing another CAT scan an then Cyd will know more. I am encouraged. When Auntie Eva had her stroke she was also not able to move her one side and she also lost a lot of her speech. You would never know it now. Once in awhile, when she is tired, her speech gets a little slurred but not often.

Tom and Laurel traveled to Provo to visit and Charlotte called. Mike's brother from Idaho is there and his sister. Her name is Leslie Monson. Her husband teaches Institute at UVU. Mike's two kids are there and are staying nights with him so that Cyd can go get some sleep. Terri Fox, the daughter, lives in Price and David, the son, lives in St. George.

fyi...Siovhan

Melanie wrote: For those of you who are facebook users, you will note that Siovhan changed her status to: "In a Relationship." She has been dating Pat for some time. She has been kind of secretive about Pat...and we found out why. He isn't a member of our faith. He has ties to our faith and has been to church a few times, but he has never been taught the discussions. This comes as a shock to our family. Braden had a feeling that Pat wasn't either active or wasn't a member...but, when we inquired of Siovhan, she wasn't completely honest with us. We are praying for her and her decisions. I knew that some of you would be asking about her, and so I wanted to let you know.
Melanie


Myrna wrote: What does "in a relationship" mean? Does that mean that they are now engaged? I see that phrase listed on facebook many times and I have never quite known what it means. It could mean that they are now dating no one else, also. I have just taken it as meaning that they are serious about one another. Pat who?

We ever pray for our children and their families (night and morning and sometimes in between times). We also pray for all of you during our couple prayer in the evening. When we eat breakfast, we also have our morning couple prayer and we pray for all of you then. We keep all of your names on the temple prayer roll. We have been fasting for the oldest grandchildren to make wise choices in friends, schools, missions and possible mates. We also fast for specific needs for specific of you who need more help at the time. 

We will just continue to pray and fast for Siovhan that she will make the choices that will lead to her eternal happiness.

Todd wrote: Mom. It merely means relationship as defined by the person using it. So it is a pretty broad definition. 

Myrna wrote: Thanks! I do try to keep up but, frankly, I just can't move that fast mentally.

Melanie wrote: In a relationship means exclusive dating...Siovhan and I had a long talk last week and she hopes that these two will be able to make things work. Frightening. We will continue to counsel with her and continue to pray for her. We pray for her multiple times a day as well...my hopes and righteous desires are being tossed on the waves of life. 

Mel

Myrna wrote: Remember what you used to tell me. Everyone has agency. The temple ceremony helps us remember that we bring blessings upon their heads by our attempts at righteousness. Love does a lot. Sometimes all you can do is pray and love. Thanks for being MY rock.

Shawn wrote about visit to Mike

Shawn wrote: I can’t take credit where credit is not due, I merely bought them something to drink at the cafeteria. It was nice to see him and visit with Cydney and his Mom. When I was there he was worn out from his physical therapy, but he was alert enough to indicate whether he wanted his bed higher or lower. He wasn’t on oxygen. He was clearly wanting to talk, but seemed frustrated because his tongue didn’t seem to be cooperating. I am know he appreciates seeing all of his family and loved ones, he liked having his glasses on so he could see people clearly and only had them taken off so he could rest.  I sure hope he has a good recovery, it seems as though he is well on his way.