355 Newtonville Avenue, Newtonville, Massachusetts Destroyed by Fire

355 Newtonville Avenue, Newtonville, Massachusetts    Photo by Marash Girl

This 3-story Victorian single-family home at 355 Newtonville Avenue, Newtonville, Massachusetts, corner of Newtonville Avenue and Harvard Street,  life-long home of the Haroutunians who, in 1915, escaped the Armenian genocide and came to Newtonville to start a new life,  home to life-long friends of Marash Girl's family, two blocks from 439 Newtonville Avenue (the building which was built by Marash Girl's father and housed his business Newtonville Electrical Co., Inc.),  this historic Newton house was destroyed by fire on January 4, 2014.  According to Massachusetts State Police, smoke from the fire  caused Mass Pike traffic to slow down to 40 mph in the area. The fire was thought to have started at the dishwasher on the first floor. Marash Girl visited Newton Presbyterian Church this morning, hoping to find their organist, John Haroutunian, whose home it was that was destroyed. John was there, playing hymns on the organ as he has been doing for years; John expressed his gratitude that all had escaped the fire unharmed.