One of California’s most historic mansions burned to the ground after a fire ripped through the estate. Detectives indicated that it may have been arson.
The Bidwell Mansion, which had stood for 156 years in Chico, Northern California, was engulfed in flames in stunning images Wednesday morning.
The fire started at 3:15 a.m. and while firefighters have not yet determined the cause, the fire was reported as an illegal burn early in the investigation.
Deputy Fire Chief Chris Zinko told Action News that someone left the area after the fire started, and officers are working to identify the suspect.
The house, a tourist hotspot listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was closed to the public at the time as it underwent a $2.3 million renovation.
Parts of the house collapsed within minutes of firefighters, including five fire engines, arriving on the scene, and it wasn’t long before the sprawling mansion was completely gutted.
The fire’s spread also led to crews having to close several buildings at nearby Chico State University, reports said SFGoes. There are no reports of injuries or deaths as a result of the fire.
The house is named after John Bidwell, a controversial figure in California history who founded the city of Chico but has come under renewed scrutiny in recent years for his treatment of native tribes.
One of California’s most historic mansions burned to the ground after a fire ripped through the estate. Detectives indicated that it may have been arson
The Bidwell Mansion, which had stood for 156 years in Chico, Northern California, went up in flames Wednesday morning
The mansion was built for Bidwell in 1865 and took three years to complete, and was one of the most opulent properties on the West Coast of America at the time.
In its 26 rooms, the house had many of the most luxurious amenities of the time, such as running water and plumbing.
The mansion had also been a California state park since 1964.
Firefighters rushed to the scene early Wednesday morning, and Chico Fire Battalion Chief Jim Lucanic told SFGate that it quickly became clear the mansion was in worse condition than initially feared.
He said the call was first made for a small fire near the mansion, which Lucanic said was typically a cooking fire.
The call was urgently converted to a full structural fire shortly afterwards, and despite five engines, a truck company and a fleet of volunteer firefighters, the mansion went up in flames.
“When the first engine arrived, the structure was fully engaged,” Lucanic said. “They immediately ordered a second alarm, duplicating the first response.”
Lucanic said firefighters had to switch to a “defensive operation” after it was decided the building was too unsafe for crews to enter.
“We surrounded the structure to protect exposure and ensure the fire did not spread,” the fire chief continued.
“It’s about keeping everyone out of the collapse zone while trying to cool the fire.”
Five fire engines and a fleet of firefighters rushed to the scene at around 3.15am on Wednesday, with the local fire chief describing the mansion as ‘probably the most important landmark in the city’
Despite firefighters’ best efforts, the massive blaze forced them to take a ‘defensive’ position, allowing the mansion to burn to the ground and only trying to stop the spread.
Lucanic said within minutes of his arrival, “It was reported that one of the towers collapsed, and the top floor followed shortly after.”
He explained that the age of the mansion meant that controlling the fire was particularly challenging.
‘Older structures burn differently. “This fire quickly grew from a report of a possible illegal fire to a fully involved mansion,” he said.
The fire chief said the loss of the iconic property will be difficult for the Chico community because it is “probably the most important landmark in the city.”
“It was disheartening to hear on the radio that we were going to conduct defensive operations because it meant we had written off the building and were just protecting the area,” he said.
The Chico fire comes at a time of massive wildfires further south of the state, including a major blaze in Malibu that led to mass evacuations this week.