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For second night in a row, restaurant building goes up in flames, this time on Mission Hill
By adamg on Wed, 06/26/2024 - 10:42am
Heat from the fire melted street light and signs. Photo by BFD.
The Boston Fire Department reports firefighters responded to the Squealing Pig, 134 Smith St. on Mission Hill, for what turned into a two-alarm fire around midnight.
The department reported no injuries from the fire, which came a little more than 24 hours after the Jacob Wirth building on Stuart Street burned in a four-alarm fire.
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Comments
Almost certainly insurance fraud
I know this place well, and it is a poorly run money pit that, among other things, has a habit of not paying their employees and vendors.
No chance this after hours fire was an accident.
The timing in relation to Jacob Wirth is interesting... WARNING: reckless speculation ahead: I almost wonder if they both contracted with the same out of town specialist.
Speculation, indeed
The fire was reported around midnight. That sounds more like a grease or wood fired chimney issue time than an arson time.
We will see what BFD turns up, but that timing indicates that staff would likely be in the building cleaning up after close and there would be witnesses. Official hours are to 11pm.
For most bars...
For most bars, yes. But the Pig is really more of a restaurant than a bar. Kitchen closes at 9. They tend to close very early: I suspect on a Tuesday night now that they've kicked the darts teams to the curb they were probably closed up and out of there by 10 at the latest.
Busy Area
Still not a good time - support staff have shift changes at hospitals around that time.
Is it?
I admit, I haven't been since before the pandemic, but, at least customer-wise it was a pretty solid food/drink choice.
I played a lot of gigs there
I played a lot of gigs there in the late 90s/early 2000s and it was a great place to play. Granted, that was a long-ass time ago, so I have no idea what they've been up to in the last 20 years.
Our work group's go-to social place
The Pig is our work group's go-to place for social events. Big news for us.
Regardless of what you “seem”
Regardless of what you “seem” to know that is very accusatory. The owners are very nice local people who don’t deserve your thoughts.
Very nice people
Yes, I know the owners. They're very pleasant people who routinely fail to pay their employees. I have friends who are owed THOUSANDS in back pay.
Perp on Camera
Property next door claims to have video of someone "breaking in" and starting the fire.
Owner of the property was looking to build units on top and renovate the restaurant so I'm sure this one will be investigated fully. On the surface it does not look good but who knows.
Where'd you hear that?
EDIT: nevermind saw the video
Mea Culpa
I've now seen video of it starting (posted it on my twitter if you want to see: https://x.com/epeemike81/status/1806039172664135799) and while it DEFINITELY looks intentional (windows smashed out from the inside pre-fire, a guy lighting a table on fire inside the restaurant), it looks a lot more like vandalism/somebody settling a score than insurance fraud.
Yikes.
Hmmm
Did the person taking the video bother to call the FD/PD? Seems like it would take a while to get to the point described when BFD arrived.
Yes, It seems so
The initial 911 call was placed by a woman who reported that it appears someone broke in and is now setting a fire.
Have to get to safety first
Been there, done that. Good to report it, but don't become collateral damage.
rumor mill is running full steam
Rumor is someone in the kitchen was fired this week and threatened to burn the place down on the way out the door. Firemen also said definitely arson as it spread so quick and we all know how close the fire station is right down the street on Huntington.
A hot time
The BG article says "the heat from the fire melted the top of a light pole and damaged two cars across the street, fire officials wrote."
Means something special to me
I had my retirement party there in January. A lot of special memories attached to this place.
That photo is surreal
It looks like the values are inverted but they're not.