The Worcester warehouse fire was a massive disaster for the city. Six men were killed and 17 children left fatherless. Once it was learned what happened, it raised a lot of questions. How could this happen? Should the people who started the fire be charged? Can they be held responsible?
No event has impacted the city of Worcester more in the last 21 years than the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse Fire. It showed what the city and its people are made of. On December 3, 1999, a fire broke out at an abandoned warehouse at 266 Franklin Street in Worcester, Massachusetts - a massive, six story windowless concrete box of a structure. Its maze-like design proved to be deadly. The fire raged undetected for nearly two hours. More than 25 firefighters went in to fight it back. Six of those men didn't make it out. The Worcester Six: Paul Brotherton, Jeremiah Lucey, Thomas Spencer, Timothy Jackson, James Lyons, and Joseph McGuirk.
Photo Gallery Thank you to the Leary Firefighters Foundation learyfirefighters.org
Source Links | Part Two
Worcesterma.gov - The Memorial
MassLive.com - The Sons Carry On
Worcester Telegram - Band of Brothers https://www.telegram.com/news/20191128/band-of-brothers-sons-of-late-firefighter-brotherton-carry-on-call-to-service
Worc Telegram - Danny Spencer Reflects On Life After His Dad’s Death in 1999
Worc Telegram - Worcester Firefighter Jerry Lucey relies on brotherhood as he navigates his father’s past
https://www.telegram.com/news/20191201/worcester-firefighter-jerry-lucey-relies-on-brotherhood-as-he-navigates-his-fathers-past
Worc Telegram - Ding On Tony Kwan
Seacoast Online - Firefighters To Blame for their own death said warehouse owner
Metrowest Daily News - Warehouse owner still prays for victims, families https://www.metrowestdailynews.com/article/20091204/NEWS/312049892
Cape Cod Times - Wrongful Death Case and Settlement in deadly fire
CNN - Couple Charged
CBS NEWS - Trial After Fire https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trial-after-fire
Court Records
Julie Ann Barnes
Worcester Telegram - The Accused Fire Suspects https://www.telegram.com/article/20100122/NEWS/911119947?template=ampart
SeaCoast Online - Worcester fire suspect has long-lost sister
Worcester Telegram - Julie Barnes Get On With Her Life https://www.telegram.com/article/20100122/NEWS/911209967
ABC News - Manslaughter Charges Dismissed https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=95698&page=1
Hartford Courant - Tragedy In Worcester: Childlike, Homeless And Accused, by Janice D'arcy
South Coast Today - Couple Makes a deal https://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/20020531/News/305319960
Firehouse.com - Developer settles with families
Archives
Boston Globe - In Worcester, Muted Support For Court's Warehouse Fire Ruling Relatives, Firefighters Back SJC Ruling On Fatal Worcester Fire, by Jenna Russell, Mar 31, 2002 https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.bpl.org/bostonglobe/docview/405440892/53FE640BE471423APQ/9?accountid=9675
Boston Globe - A Trial For What? By Adrian Walker, April 1 2002
Boston Globe - A Path To Tragedy They Were Fixtures In Downtown Worcester, But Often Barely Noticed. That Changed After Their Arrest In The Deadly Warehouse Fire, by Joanna Weiss, Dec 19, 1999