CHICO — The heart of Chico is broken today.
Bidwell Mansion, the home of John and Annie Bidwell that stood as the town’s iconic symbol for 160 years, has been destroyed by fire.
Smoke and flames were spotted coming from the mansion around 3 a.m. Wednesday. By 4:05 a.m., the top floor had collapsed.
Firefighters worked to extinguish the flames, but the damage was extensive by 6:30 a.m.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Police and fire officials urge residents to avoid the area.
“Last night’s fire at the Bidwell Mansion is a devastating loss for Chico,” Mayor Kasey Reynolds said Wednesday morning. “Our firefighters, whether on duty or off, gave their all in the face of this fire.
“As we recover from the loss of our iconic Bidwell Mansion, we’ll continue to rely on the strength of our community to move forward.”
Matt Teague, district supervisor for California State Parks, said the damage done was extensive, and his office was set to conduct initial assessments to see whether the building can be saved. The mansion was undergoing exterior renovations.
“A fire of this size and magnitude raises a huge concern for the overall structural integrity and ability to save it,” Teague said on scene. “It’s uncertain whether we can save any of the building and rebuild at this point.”
Chico Fire Assistant Chief Chris Zinko said the call came at 3:05 a.m., and when responders arrived, they found a structure fire. By 3:15 a.m., the mansion was fully engulfed.
Zinko said firefighters stopped the spread of the fire by 6:30 a.m. A lot of the floors in the mansion burned through, he said, and the floors act as supporting structures for the walls.
He said the mansion is unstable, and the area will be fenced off from students. The site adjoins Chico State and is near the Chico Junior High and Chico High campuses.
Zinko said state investigators were on the way from Sacramento to assist the Chico Fire Department with the investigation. Reynolds noted that the city’s public safety and public works departments coordinated their response with California State Parks — the agency with “primary jurisdiction for the incident” — as well as Cal Fire, Chico State, Butte EMS, PG&E and Cal Water.
Chico State President Steve Perez relayed the news to the campus community in an early-morning email, saying: “We are devastated to wake up to the heartbreaking news that Bidwell Mansion, the historic building adjacent to our campus, was destroyed in an overnight fire. The historic home of John and Annie Bidwell has been significant to Chico State since our founding.”
Perez said the university would remain open except for the Gateway Science Museum, Modoc Hall and the Aymer J. Hamilton building and its child development center.
“Beyond serving as a beautiful landmark and gateway to the northeastern side of campus, Bidwell Mansion played a key role in the university’s history,” Perez continued. “Its loss is deeply felt by all of us, and we join the Chico community in mourning the loss of this historic home.”
E-R reporter Michael Weber contributed to this story. We will be updating this story and providing additional coverage throughout the day.
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