A year or so ago a chimney fell off the building at 14 Lindall Place.

Neighbors had been expecting it to do so, since for years the chimney had leaned dangerously over an adjacent back garden, and they could see sky between the bricks.

As soon as it fell, neighbors reported it to the city. Time went by. What had happened to the furnace or fireplaces connected to the chimney? Was there a risk of fire? Were the tenants inside being poisoned by carbon monoxide? After all, chimneys must serve some purpose, since we all have them.

A chimney’s fall, though, didn’t seem remarkable. Many buildings, on both the north and south slopes, are in terrible condition. A few years ago the bricks on the front of a Phillips Street building fell onto the sidewalk, exposing the interior. If buildings seem hazardous from the outside, what must they be like inside? Continue reading →