Faulty Wiring May Have Sparked Cathedral Fire
Investigators said faulty electrical wiring possibly started a fire at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, destroying a gift shop and damaging two rare tapestries.
Officials were awaiting word from fire and environmental officials about whether reopening the Manhattan church for Christmas services was possible. Its two Christmas Day Masses typically draw 5,000 people each.
None of the church’s more than 150 stained-glass windows was damaged. Two Barberini tapestries--”The Last Supper” and “The Resurrection,” among a set of 12 depicting the life of Christ--were partly destroyed.
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