Boston's JFK Library closed 'indefinitely' for probe into whether fire was linked to marathon bombings
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum has been closed 'until further notice' after it was ravaged by flames while authorities probe whether it's linked to the Boston Marathon tragedy.
The library fire was reported minutes after the twin bombing near the finish line at Monday's Boston marathon. It first appeared that the incidents were related, a belief that officials later denied.
But now, officials are turning to the facility, located next to UMass Boston's campus, as possibly being linked to the terror attack.
Damage: The fire at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston came minutes after the twin blasts at the Boston Marathon
Shuttered: The library, seen in a 2009 photo, is now closed to the public while officials take a look at the cause of the fire there
The library said in a statement yesterday that the facility will remain closed 'until further notice.'
Library director Tom Putnam told the New York Daily News that the cause of the fire is not yet known.
No injuries were reported at the library, which is located about three miles from the marathon's finish line where two blasts killed three people and injured 183 others.
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Putnam originally said that the fire was caused by an electrical problem during the mass panic of the bombing at the marathon.
A photo from the scene showed a charred exterior near the building's front entrance.
The library's communications director, Rachel Flor, told The Boston Globe: 'There was a fire, and it’s still unclear how it began. We did hear something that sounded like an explosion.'
Mystery: The museum originally said that the fire was caused by an electrical problem during the mass panic of the bombing at the marathon
The library's official Twitter account tweeted around 4:45pm on Monday: 'Any tie to the Boston Marathon explosions is pure speculation.'
Pictures from the scene of the library fire showed firefighters lining up outside as they prepared to enter the building.
The fire left a ring of black smoke around the entrance and the doors appear to have been badly damaged.
A statement by the library read: 'The damage to our building is real, but insignificant when compared to the lives lost in the bombings downtown. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this tragedy and their families.'
The library was opened in 1979, 16 years after the 35th president was assassinated in Dallas.
Historic: The library was opened in 1979, 16 years after Kennedy, the 35th president of the U.S., was assassinated in Dallas