‘Don’t want to lose a building like that’

A fire threatened a historic building in the heart of downtown Tulare late Sunday as crews from across Tulare County rallied to defend the century-old structure.

Around 11:15 p.m., firefighters arrived to a “large amount of smoke” billowing from the roof and second floor of 213 E. Kern St. The blaze erupted in an alleyway behind the building near Gather, a retail liquidation shop, Division Chief Rodnie Roberts said.

Firefighters acted swiftly to limit fire damage to the business, Roberts said. The pre-1933 building and two neighboring businesses that share the storefront were spared, only suffering smoke damage, he said. Visalia and Tulare County fire departments helped contain the two-alarm blaze.

Fire officials estimate total damage at $300,000, and Gather is considered a total loss.

“Crews made an excellent stop in a large and complicated fire involving a historic structure,” Roberts said. “You definitely don’t want to lose a building like that.”

Susy Avila stood outside her burning business late Sunday. She plans to reopen Gather, possibly at another Tulare location, until repairs at the Kern building are complete.

That could take a while, Avila said.

“If everything gets repaired we would like to move back in. We loved being in that old building in the heart of downtown Tulare,” she said. “We are all supporters of getting downtown going again, and we loved the connection with the community and historical Tulare.”

The cause of Sunday’s fire was under investigation. Arson is a possibility and firefighters were working with Tulare Police Department, Roberts said, adding that other fires in the area have been “linked to homelessness.”

Police responded to a break-in at Gather Sunday afternoon, prior to the damaging blaze. Officers arrested one suspect, Tasheena Todd, 37, near the business after they found her with stolen merchandise and burglary tools, Sgt. Rosa Moreno said.

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It was unknown whether the fire and alleged burglary are connected, she said.

Downtown leaders hope to revitalize the district but view a recent spate of fires and property crime as a setback.

Earlier this month, an electrical fire threatened the downtown clock tower that rises above “K” Street. Investigators found evidence that people experiencing homelessness had gained access to the tower and had been living inside it prior to the fire.

“When something like this happens, it impacts the entire city in a negative way,” Tulare Downtown Association President John Harman said in a statement. “The Downtown Association works hard to maintain a safe and inviting environment in the downtown. We encourage businesses to locate in the historic business district.”

Joshua Yeager is a reporter with the Visalia Times-Delta and a Report for America corps member. He covers Tulare County news deserts with a focus on the environment and local governments.

Follow him on Twitter @VTD_Joshy. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Fire threatens historic downtown Tulare building