A San Jose Fire Department arson investigator takes photos at...

A two-alarm fire that destroyed a 118-year-old house at San Jose’s History Park early Sunday morning is being examined by the San Jose Fire Department’s arson unit.

San Jose Fire Capt. Jeremy Mann said there were no injuries in the fire, which was reported at 3:42 a.m. and also damaged two other structures. An investigation into the cause is ongoing and could take several weeks to complete.

“It’s sad,” Mann said. “Obviously you don’t want to lose any of your buildings. This has some historical significance to the city of San Jose.”

A San Jose Fire Department arson investigator takes photos at History Park in San Jose of the Nelson-DeLuz house, which was destroyed in a fire Sunday, March 12, 2023. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group)

Ken Middlebrook, History San Jose’s curator of artifacts, points out damage to the Pasetta House caused by a fire that destroyed the adjacent Nelson-DeLuz house at History Park in San Jose on Sunday, March 12, 2023. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group)

The Califaro tank house, a structure dating back to the late 19th century, was heavily damaged in a fire at History Park in San Jose on Sunday, March 12, 2023. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group)

Ken Middlebrook, curator of artifacts for History San Jose, examines the destroyed Nelson-DeLuz house from the Pasetta house, which also sustained damage in a fire Sunday, March 12, 2023. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group)

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The damage could have been much more devastating to both the park and San Jose’s historic collection. The Nelson-DeLuz house, which was destroyed, is located at the Phelan Avenue entrance to History Park and is right next door to the Pasetta House, which contains a gallery displaying paintings by famed Santa Clara valley artists including Andrew P. Hill and A.D.M. Cooper.

The rear wall of the Pasetta House facing the Nelson-DeLuz house was scorched and windows in that area were damaged. It was actually the smoke alarm from the Pasetta House that triggered the San Jose Fire Department response.

Ken Middlebrook, History San Jose’s curator of collections, said the paintings inside the David and Leonard McKay gallery suffered smoke damage but were all intact. Collections Manager Katrina Anderson, Archives Curator Cate Mills and Middlebrook carefully wrapped the paintings to transport them for storage in the city’s collection center.

The Califaro Tank House, a 19th-century structure located behind …read more

Source:: The Mercury News

      

San Jose: Two-alarm fire destroys 1905 house at History Park

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