Fire Damages New Orleans’ Famed Cabildo

A seven-alarm fire Wednesday swept through the upper level of the historic Cabildo in the French Quarter, destroying priceless relics in the 18th-Century structure that was built to house the Spanish colonial government of the Louisiana Territory.

Two firefighters were slightly injured in the fire that also threatened the nearby St. Louis Cathedral, the nation’s oldest cathedral, before it was brought under control after more than two hours.

About a dozen people were in the three-story building when the fire erupted, apparently in the top floor.

Heart of Original City

Massive traffic jams developed in the area as equipment brought in to fight the blaze blocked the narrow streets of the French Quarter, heart of the original city of New Orleans and a tourist center.

In addition to being the seat of colonial governments and the first City Hall of New Orleans, the Cabildo was the site of the formal transfer of Louisiana from France to the United States in the 1803 Louisiana Purchase.

“The fire had a tremendous start,” Fire Chief Bill McCrossen said. “We were behind 95-0 at the start but we did a lot of catch-up, and we’re doing great.”

The building that burned was the third Cabildo on the site. The first was erected in 1769 but was burned in a fire that destroyed the city on Good Friday in 1788. Another fire destroyed the building in 1794.

The structure houses a museum on its first two floors, including relics such as a death mask of Napoleon, a portrait of legendary voodoo priestess Marie Laveau and religious artifacts from St. Louis Cathedral. Other museum pieces were in storage in the third floor.

‘History in Flames’

“I’m too overwhelmed to talk about this,” one shopkeeper said. “It’s just history going up in flames.”

The building was valued at about $60 million, but officials said its historic value to the state and nation could not be measured.

“We’re very thankful for the tremendous efforts of the Fire Department and all those who have helped them,” Archbishop Phillip Hannan said. “Right now it seems the cathedral is out of danger. We’re very thankful--thankful to God and thankful to the firemen.”

Hannan said the church had some artifacts on loan to the Cabildo but it was too early to tell if any had been lost.

“We’re making an effort to try and salvage some of the items in the building,” said the city’s chief administrative officer, Kurt Steiner. He said the building had been under renovation and that may have had something to do with the fire.