Fresno: Fire destroys homes in Fresno’s historic Old Armenian Town

Emil Lazarian 2020
Fresno Bee
June 5 2020

BY JIM GUY

JUNE 04, 2020 07:59 AM , UPDATED JUNE 04, 2020 02:36 PM



A pre-dawn fire Thursday destroyed two historic homes in Fresno’s Old Armenian Town, where investigators believe transients are living.

The flames swept through the homes and heavily damaged other parts of the site on M Street at the Highway 41 overpass, on the south edge of downtown Fresno. Fresno Fire spokesman Shane Brown said the blaze erupted about 12:30 a.m.

Brown said flames were pouring out of one home when first units arrived, and the fire quickly spread to a second house.

There are multiple buildings on the site, and Brown said that all of the buildings, which are surrounded by a metal fence, have been broken into previously.


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Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS