Fire destroys building housing synagogue in Rockland County
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Margaretten led the team of Chaverim safety patrol volunteers who worked for an hour to open the safe containing sacred Torah scrolls which was shut tight due to fire damage to the locking mechanism.
Chopper 2 was over the scene early Wednesday as fire consumed Chassidim of the Heights. Officials said 80% of the synagogue was destroyed by a fire and the rest was later knocked down for safety reasons.
"Our detectives, along with the Rockland County Arson Investigation Unit, are doing an investigation to see if we can figure out the origin, maybe what could have started this," Haverstraw Police Capt. John Gould said.
The focus quickly shifted to the safe containing the Torah scrolls, which are considered sacred and are treated with great care.
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