Scarborough Faire turned into a 6 alarm fire last night

LovingKayla's Avatar
http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Fire-...128229888.html



The guy that was killed was a friend of mine. It's worse than the news article makes out.










ELLIS COUNTY — One person was killed and seven buildings destroyed at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival property near Waxahachie Monday night.
Officials said the fire broke out before 11 o'clock in an employee area near a souvenir shop at the property southwest of Waxahachie.
Seven festival employees live in wooden buildings on the fair grounds. The man who died, a groundskeeper, lived in one of those buildings. Authorities have not released his name.
"It took a while to get the fire cooled down enough to be able to go in to do any searching," said Lt. James Saulter, Ellis County Sheriff's Office. "Once they got it down, it took them about five minutes before they located the victim who was inside."
The fire occurred in a part of the festival site that is out of public view.
Six local fire agencies, including Waxahachie and Maypearl, joined to battle the blaze. The state fire marshal will determine the cause.
The Scarborough Renaissance Festival was established in 1981 on a 35 acre site near Waxahachie. It attracts 200, 000 people a year. The festival runs for eight weekends each spring, according to its Web site. The property is also open each fall as a Halloween theme park.
"Fortunately, we don't have to do Scarborough Renaissance Festival until next April. We should have all these buildings replaced by then," said Orvis Melvin, Scarborough sales director
Jules Jaguar's Avatar
Oh no! I love faire and all of its people... so sad your friend passed away kayla =(
Kayla,

My condolences on the tragic loss of your friend through a most horrible set of events.

The Colonel
LazurusLong's Avatar
Well, next April they can have a new section based on Medieval Castle Attacks and Defense strategies and use some of the scorched lumber to build a realistic display and name the exhibit in honor of the man who died.

Sucks it caught on fire and a man died, especially difficult when it is someone you knew. Sorry to hear this.
  • M69
  • 08-23-2011, 11:34 AM
Many long time faire veterans worked for me for years. This is truly sad for the faire, the maintenance man, faire performers and those that knew this fine man. My prayers are with them all.
ElisabethWhispers's Avatar
Very sad. Tragic.

Elisabeth
A family member of mine owns the faire. It was hard for me to hear this as well.
Farewell to a hell of a Rennie. He'll be missed but never forgotten.
Fancyinheels's Avatar
My sympathy, as well. I am a huge fan and longtime participant of the Texas Renaissance Festival in Plantersville, so this is particularly hard to hear. On behalf of everyone at TRF, let me dedicate the following Irish funeral prayer to our departed Ren-friend:

We remember them.
At the rising of the sun and at its going down, we remember them.
At the blowing of the wind and the chill of winter, we remember them.
At the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring, we remember them.
At the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of summer, we remember them.
At the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of autumn, we remember them.
At the beginning of the year and when it ends, we remember them.

As long as we live, they too will live; for they are now a part of us, as we remember them.

When we are weary and in need of strength, we remember them.
When we are lost and sick at heart, we remember them.
When we have joy we crave to share, we remember them.
When we have decisions that are difficult to make, we remember them.
When we have achievements that are based on theirs, we remember them.


As long as we live, they too will live; for they are now a part of us, as we remember them.

mrod's Avatar
  • mrod
  • 08-30-2011, 05:09 PM
Dang... so does that mean no Screams this year...

condolences for those lost...
Iaintliein's Avatar
Just saw this,
My deepest condolences LK.
Tragic