Worcester State Hospital
A series of unfavorable events occurred on July 22, 1991 which resulted in the partial desctruction of Worcester State Hospital-The Kirkbride buildings. It was reported that early in the morning of 7/22/1991, Webber Lumber Home Center in Oxford, MA caught fire. The blaze required support from surrounding towns, including the Worcester Fire Department. Also on that day, the city of Worcester was working on the water lines around Belmont Street and Lake Ave North. This resulted in water being shut off in various areas, including the fire hydrants around the area of 102 Belmont Street.
Speculation proposes the fire began in the attic or top floor of the left wing of the Kirkbride building. The slate roof's natural propensity to contain fire posits that the fire at Worcester State Hospital had been smoldering for some time prior to it being reported. Only smoke was seen rising from the roof, so the true damage was unknown. With the fire contained in Oxford, the local teams were dispatched to Worcester State Hospital. The inhabitants of the Kirkbride building and the nearby Bryant building were evacuated. The fire fighters had to run hoses down to Lake Quinsiagmond as the closets hydrants were shut off. The pictures below show the damage and restoration of the buildings.
Photographs by Kim Smith, personal correspondence.