Blaze relegates Oregon’s governor to basement
Arson ruled out as cause of fire at Capitol
SALEM – Portions of the state Capitol will reopen today as the cleanup continues from a weekend fire. But Gov. Ted Kulongoski, whose ceremonial office was heavily damaged, set up shop in nearby basement offices and was likely to stay there for several weeks.
Legislative leaders hope to reopen the building to the public on a limited basis by the end of the week.
In the meantime, crews are still cleaning up extensive smoke and water damage in large areas of the building.
“The biggest concern at present is air quality, and some areas will have to remain closed pending a thorough cleaning of the Capitol’s ventilation system,” Senate President Peter Courtney said a news conference Tuesday.
Firefighters used a lot of water, which could mean water damage and eventual problems with mold, he said.
The 300 or so employees who work in the Capitol when the Legislature isn’t meeting were locked out during an environmental inspection Tuesday, but the 8,000 or so state employees in surrounding state office buildings were working normally.
The fire started early Saturday on the terrace outside the governor’s second-floor office suite, where construction supplies and materials were stored for a renovation project.
The fire’s cause has not been determined, but Courtney said investigators have ruled out arson.
There has been no official damage estimate. Scott Burgess, interim head of the legislative administration office, said Tuesday the damage could easily top $1 million.
There are no fire sprinklers in the governor’s ceremonial office or in other older parts of the Capitol, Courtney said.
“This just shows that the old building is not equipped with the latest fire prevention and fire detection systems,” the Salem Democrat said.
The current Capitol is the state’s third.
Previous buildings were destroyed by fires in 1855 and 1935.
Arson was suspected in the 1855 blaze, and the cause of the 1935 blaze – in which a Salem firefighter was killed – was never determined.
Kulongoski and some aides are working from basement offices about two blocks away. Jillian Schoene, a Kulongoski spokeswoman, said technical crews spent the weekend getting the temporary offices ready with computers, telephones and other equipment.
“We’re up and running, everything’s fine,” she said.
She said the governor’s office likely will be in its temporary quarters for a couple of weeks.
While staffers for Oregon’s governor and secretary of state were to remain out of their Capitol offices today, many Capitol employees would be allowed to return, officials said.