Alameda Post historical home writer provides eyewitness account of Father’s Day fire
A fire was reported at about 8 p.m. on Father’s Day, June 16, at a Queen Anne-style home on the 1700 block of Minturn Street near Buena Vista Avenue. The residence, built in 1894, consists of multiple units. The fire, which Alameda Fire Department (AFD) later confirmed had started in a detached shed/garage behind the house, quickly spread to a tree and then to the attic of the main house.
Smoke and flames were at first seen only at the shed, but then smoke began to seep ominously from the entire roof of the main house, indicating that the fire had spread. Fire crews raised ladders to access the roof and used chainsaws to cut holes, which allowed the heavy smoke to escape. Meanwhile, other crews fought the fire from inside the house.
Smoke soon filled the neighborhood. A crowd of onlookers with cell phones in hand gathered on the sidewalks and streets around the fire scene, while Alameda Police officers attempted to keep people away from the working fire zone. PG&E and Alameda Municipal Power crews also responded to handle issues with utilities. Based on the number of firefighters and pieces of apparatus on scene, it appeared that multiple alarms had been called in.
The fire was likely difficult to fight because it spread to the rambling attic of the Victorian-era house, where access was difficult and old wood and insulation created a smoky, smoldering fire. The fire never really got “out of control”, as flames were never seen breaking through the roof of the house, only heavy smoke. While the house likely incurred some fire, smoke, and water damage, the fast work by numerous Alameda firefighters kept this fire from becoming a disaster, and there were apparently no injuries.
Fire crews were still on scene after 10:00pm, and displaced residents were being offered emergency housing assistance through the Red Cross, and being allowed the opportunity to go inside and retrieve vital possessions when firefighters deemed it safe.
Safety of people is always the first concern whenever a building fire occurs, and in this case, it appears everyone was able to get out safely. Firefighters later confirmed in a post on social media that there were no injuries to residents or first responders.
The secondary concern is the structure itself, and the personal possessions inside. In this case, the further good news is that although this was a serious fire that took hours to bring fully under control, the building itself appears to be undamaged from the outside—though, admittedly, the damage might not be fully visible from the exterior. But from the overall looks of it, this old house appears quite repairable, and most possessions inside likely salvageable. This is an outside assessment though, and the extent of the damage cannot be fully known at this time.
When contacted by the Alameda Post, AFD Public Information Officer Kevin Tidwell confirmed the fire went to two alarms. That means every firefighter on duty, all 29, were called to the scene in addition to the regular complement of firefighters and equipment sent out on calls. In their absence, fire departments from surrounding communities were called upon to provide mutual aid to answer emergency calls. Tidwell explained the cause of the fire is not yet known and is being investigated. He said that the upper floors suffered extensive damage from the fire and the water used to fight it.
Built by noted local builder Denis Straub, and designed by his stepson Fred P. Fisher, this 130-year-old home’s first owner was Mrs. Elizabeth M. Poschwitz, wife of Mr. Otto Poschwitz, who once ran a resort called “Poschwitz’s Gardens” in the Grand Station neighborhood where Louis Fassking also ran his popular resort, “Fassking’s Gardens,” from the 1860s through the early 1880s. This architecturally and historically significant home has housed many generations of Alamedans over the years, so we hope that it will soon be repaired and back in business again soon.
Contributing writer Steve Gorman has been a resident of Alameda since 2000, when he fell in love with the history and architecture of this unique town. Contact him via [email protected]. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Steve-Gorman.
