A blaze tore through the Victorian roof of a historic Chula Vista home, built in the late 1880s, and injured a firefighter trying to stop it on Monday.
The fire started at about 8:30 a.m. at the Hancil Cordrey Residence near 2nd Avenue and F Street, one of the few remaining original Victorian homes built during Chula Vista's early development, according to the city's archives.
“It’s kind of a real landmark around here it was one of the old orchard homes,” neighbor Bob Teague said.
Flames were tearing through the two-story home's Victorian-style spire when firefighters arrived at about 8:30 a.m. No one was in the home at the time.
Firefighters doused flames and had the fire knocked down within 20 minutes but because of the layout of the century-old home, it took crews another 20 minutes to ensure all hot spots were tempered.
During the firefight, one crew member suffered 1st- and 2nd-degree burn injuries. Footage of the scene showed the firefighter alert as he was placed into the back of an ambulance to be taken to a burn center for treatment.
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The loss was devastating to not only members of the community, but to firefighters as well, Chula Vista Fire Department Battalion Chief Trevor Flores said.
“Most of these houses, they also have a certain amount of sentimental value to the entire community, including us," Flores said. “It is always heartbreaking when you see something that’s been around for 200 years."
The Chula Vista Historical Society said the building had retained much of its original materials and designs
The cause of the fire was under investigation. It was unclear how much damage the building suffered.
