By: Daiyu Tang
On the 11th January 2024 a female perpetrator approached the Observer and after methodologically piling up newspapers and other flammable material set light to them with no regard for the safety of any reporters or citizens inside.
As it happened I, alongside HPD Officer César Arnaud were inside talking about a matter related to parking tickets and while I could write an essay on the abuse of power that lets HPD continue to dip their hands into the Observer’s perennially broke pockets, it will have to wait for another time.
While trying to leave, I became aware that the door was stuck and then after the help of the Officer, we were made aware of the individual outside trying to light the material outside using gasoline.
Thankfully, the FDH had visited the Observer in prior months and Chief Dale can take some credit for the fact that an extinguisher, among other firefighting equipment was to hand. Using this, Officer Arnaud attacked the fire, but with the ready supply of material and the accelerant, he needed to call for backup, which arrived in the form of three FDH officers, including the Chief. Using their equipment they were able to prevent structural damage, although water and smoke damage as well as loss of windows and doors was an unavoidable outcome.
Exiting via the window, suffering only a few cuts and scrapes, I was minded of how much I hate fire and firebugs and how I have ever increasing respect for the hard and scary job FDH do.
Thank you to the Chief and his colleagues from the Observer and we hope that the firebug can be caught in due time. To those that would use fire to try and silence our newspaper, I am living proof that it didn’t work and our building, cheap and cheerful as it is, will rise again. Ideally with a sprinkler system.
