Spring Break
Fire rips through downtown building
Lindsay Bryant
Issue date: 1/23/08 Section: News
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No one was inside the building at First and San Fernando streets when the fire began and injuries no were reported.
"The fire spread quickly and dramatically through the floor and roof system," said Craig Shwinge, the San Jose Fire Department's public information officer.
Shwinge said the potential of the front wall of the Porter Stock Building collapsing was the fire department's greatest concern.
Power to the Valley Transit Authority light rail system was shut down at 2 a.m. and all passengers commuting to downtown were let off at the First Street stop in front of the Children's Discovery Museum until it was safe.
"Life safety" was the number one concern for the fire department, PG&E crew, VTA light rail commuters and all else involved, he said.
The VTA bus system in downtown was still in operation with a "bus bridge" transporting passengers to their destinations.
Brandi Childress, a community outreach supervisor from VTA, said because of some rerouting in the schedules ambassadors from VTA happened to be at stops that morning to direct passengers.
"The only nice thing about it is we have the new bus service up and running," Childress said. "And we are using the ambassadors to direct customers affected by the fire. So that's helpful."
Jonathan Hodges, who graduated from the SJSU College of Business in December, had to walk a few more blocks to campus when the Winchester/Mountain View light rail dropped him off at the Children's Discovery Museum.
"I got some exercise out of it," Hodges said, who was on his way to sell his textbook, "That's a positive thing, right?"
The fire department is not sure what time the fire began this morning but it was discovered by police officers who saw smoke and alerted SJFD. Firefighters then used thermal imaging cameras to find the source, determining it was a leak in a gas pipe.
Historic Building
The Porter Stock Building, located next door to the historic Crescent Jewelers store, was built in 1869 and used as a livery or a horse stable until being remodeled in 1893 and again reconstructed after the 1906 earthquake.
Two representatives were at the fire site from the San Jose historic preservation program to discuss the building's state and historic worth with chief building official Ed Tolentino who will determine if it can be "saved."
"This is a building that reflects an important time in history," said Sally Zornowitz, San Jose's historic preservation officer from the department of planning, building and code enforcement office for the city of San Jose.
"The facade sits on the streets when the city was expanding," Zornowitz said. "When railroads were booming here. The Mercury News even had a printing press there until 1973."
Michael Rizzo contributed to this story.
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