Fire damages historic Camron-Stanford House at Lake Merritt
Oakland's historic Camron-Stanford House at Lake Merritt damaged in fire
Oakland's historic Camron-Stanford House at Lake Merritt damaged in fire
OAKLAND, Calif. - Firefighters were able to mostly save one of Oakland’s oldest and most significant historic landmarks after a fire broke out at the Camron-Stanford House along Lake Merritt.
What we know:
The Oakland Fire Department rushed to the Victorian-era home on Saturday at 12:40 a.m., located at Lakeside Drive and 14th Street. Crews found that the fire had started on the first floor before traveling up a wall and into the attic.
"The crews got there quickly," said Michael Hunt, spokesperson for the Oakland Fire Department. "They got in there, worked aggressively, to prevent the rapid spread of this very old historic property."
Despite the age of the structure, Hunt reported that less than 10% of the house was damaged. The building remains structurally sound, and the majority of the museum's historical artifacts were preserved.
The backstory:
Built in 1876 by Samuel Merritt—the man instrumental in the creation of Lake Merritt—the house served as a residence for several families before becoming a museum. It stands as a rare survivor of a period when Victorian homes lined the lake following the completion of the transcontinental railroad.
"This is a beautiful space that could be used by the people of Oakland," said Sarah Akin, a volunteer docent and board member. "It also holds 150 years of Oakland's history."
The fire occurred while the museum was in the midst of a fundraising campaign to recruit volunteers and raise the necessary funds to reopen to the public.
Akin noted that the museum had been dealing with a person camping in the stairwell recently. "We suspect that is where the fire started," Akin said.
However, fire officials have not yet determined an official cause. Hunt stated that investigators are working with the museum's operators to gather information, but there is currently no person of interest in the case.