Old Pink Destroyed By Arson Say Officials in Buffalo, New York

During their season-ending show at Fountain Plaza Thursday afternoon, Toronto-based band Lowest of the Low paused between songs. Singer Ron Hawkins removed his newsboy cap and held his hand up, asking for a moment of silence for the Pink, the legendary Allentown bar that burned down June.

The boisterous crowd, possibly the largest of the summer for the Thursdays & Main free concert series, dulled their roar for a moment in respect for the bar, a favorite for the band that has a deep love and admiration for Buffalo.

At the same time, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown was also thinking and talking about the Pink, announcing that the fire that destroyed the bar was intentionally set.

“Buffalo fire investigators have ruled that the fire was…intentionally set. It is an arson and a person of interest is in custody,” Mayor Brown said during a regular appearance on WIVB Thursday afternoon. “I want to thank the ATF for their assistance, to the Buffalo Fire Department and our arson investigator in being able to find the cause of that fire for that very popular establishment in Allentown.”

He said he could not provide any further information at the time, adding that the incident is still under investigation.

Buffalo Fire Commissioner William Renaldo confirmed the arson determination.

“Video surveillance, along with witness statements and witness interviews, have confirmed and is indeed an arson and we are looking at a person of interest. We were able to analyze that and look at that and that’s how we determined who this person was,” he said.

Contrary to what the mayor said, Commissioner Renaldo said the person of interest is not yet in custody, who has not been publicly identified and is not yet facing any charges as the investigation continues.

The update came out one day before a memorial for the Pink is to take place in Allentown, starting at 6 p.m. this evening in the Brick Bar parking lot on Allen, coinciding with the First Friday Gallery Walk and the unveiling of a new artwork, “Emergence,” honoring the importance of Allentown and Buffalo’s art community. The festivities will carry on with a fundraiser at Brick Bar, hosted by the Allentown Association and Resurgence Brewery, from 6-8 p.m. A $10 suggestion donation will go to help former Pink employees. Vendors will have various Pink-related and themed items available for purchase, including pink lawn flamingos, and EVR, the Pink’s long-serving DJ, will play during the party. An afterparty will take place at Nietzsche’s.