Remembering the Clarendon Street Baptist Church Fire

Dear Editor,

The night of the Clarendon St. Baptist Church fire our family of three was living at 43 Upton Street's garden apartment. My husband, , was in Hartford on business. When I looked out of our picture window that evening, I saw flaming coals the size of massive hail stones dropping in our backyard garden. I corraled my daughter, Vivian, and we rushed to the front door only to see burning coals defiantly descending like so many unwanted torches. Choking on smoke, we slammed the door. The firemen were of course hosing down the nearby church, (which burned to the ground and was eventually rebuilt to house condominiums) The church's beautiful rose window presides graciously over the street scene today.

-Lita "Sally" Newdick