I had some involment in the repair of a house both with crane work and wiring when a neighbors 36" pine tree came crashing through the house in a wind storm. The tree literally went through the gable roof line down to about waist height clear across the house. The neighbor's insurane company was responsible for the repairs. My point with this example from personal experience as was mentioned above, is that it would seem that the owner of the building that burned (or the owner's insurance carrier) would be responsible for damage to adjacent property. If the building was derelict, it might be harder to find the responsible owner. While I abhor frivolous lawsuits, it seems like hiring the services of a lawyer to determine what state and local laws might apply and the appropriate manner in which to present a claim would be prudent. It is so sad to hear of things like this happening when so much effort has been put forth to save the historic equipment.