A significant East Bay historical estate, once owned by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser, was heavily damaged by a three-alarm fire Saturday evening. The blaze broke out around 4:56 p.m. at the former Kaiser Estate, causing sections of the roof to collapse and leaving the structure severely compromised.
The mansion, built in 1946, was part of the industrial empire of Henry J. Kaiser, who was instrumental in the construction of the Hoover Dam, completed in 1936. The property recently sold for $5.6 million, according to online real-estate marketplace Zillow.
Firefighters from the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District responded to the scene, facing challenges posed by the building's older construction and a significant heatwave. "Due to the weather conditions, the high heat, crews got spent pretty quickly," Deputy Fire Chief Charles Stark told Kron4 News. He also noted the difficulty in accessing the seat of the fire within the large structure, stating, "Due to the construction type for the residence, it’s hard to get into the seat of the fire. So, we’ve been trying to get ahead of it and cut it off. It’s a very large structure."
The 14,605-square-foot luxury property features eight bedrooms and 12 full bathrooms, along with multiple wood-burning fireplaces. The estate was unoccupied at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported. Investigators are currently working to determine the cause of the blaze.