The Harlan House, built in 1857 and known as the oldest in San Ramon, caught fire on Wednesday morning, suffering severe damage to its roof and top floor. The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District responded quickly, controlling the blaze within 10 to 15 minutes. An investigation into the cause, potentially involving arson, is underway. The owner, Sohail Siddiqi, was in the process of securing plans for a senior living community around the house to preserve its heritage, facing challenges in obtaining necessary approvals due to trespassing issues.
The initial fire call came in at 10:32 a.m. and crews were able to get the blaze under control in about 10 to 15 minutes after arriving on the scene.
The 168-year-old structure suffered severe damage, with the roof and top floor virtually destroyed.
I had submitted plans to build a senior living community in the lot around the historic home to preserve the heritage of the city but had faced delays in getting approval to develop the site.
This was the fear all along, either this building would collapse on its own or there will be some kind of arson.
Collection
[
|
...
]