Crews Tearing Down Fire-Damaged New York Casket Factory

A demolition crew continues to tear down a former Syracuse casket factory after a fire ravaged the 19th-century structure.

Demolition of the 121-year-old Marsellus Casket Co. building began Wednesday afternoon.

Fire officials say the blaze was reported shortly after 3 a.m. Wednesday. The fire continued to smolder into the afternoon as fire crews remained on the scene to douse flare-ups.

Fire investigators haven’t determined a cause yet.

Marsellus Casket, founded in 1872, produced handcrafted coffins used for the burials of the rich and famous, including presidents Harry Truman, John Kennedy and Richard Nixon. The factory closed in 2003.

The building had been sold to developers but was never redeveloped.