Video: Massive Fire Destroys 161-Year-Old CA Building

Flames engulfed San Jose's historic H.G. Wade Warehouse, as well as live power lines, and even though firefighters put out the fire in an hour, they couldn't save the landmark.

By Rick Hurd

Source Mercury News

June 25, 2021

San Jose, CA, firefighters battled a massive fire that destroyed the 161-year-old HG Wade Warehouse early Friday.

A fire destroyed the historic H.G. Wade Warehouse in the Alviso district of San Jose early Friday morning, firefighters said.

The blaze broke out at about 3:45 a.m., and crews arrived to find the 161-year-old warehouse completely engulfed in flames and live power lines down, according to a statement posted on the San Jose Fire Fighters social media.

Crews put it out in about an hour, but could not save the building.

The city declared the abandoned building a historical landmark in 2003. It once served as a stage for old western movies.

People used the building originally to store hay and grain bound for San Francisco, and stagecoaches going from Alviso to Montery also were stored there, according to the Historical Marker Database. Wells Fargo also used it to repair its stagecoaches.

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