Governor's Mansion Gutted By Overnight Fire

Update: One of the eyewitnesses featured in Mazza's fire footage now sorely regrets his on-camera interview. "I, as well as the others interviewed, have not given consent for it's [sic] public use or posting," he told us. "It has already caused my family grief, and created an uncomfortable work environment between me and my colleagues." Out of sympathy, we're taking it off.

Amidst a $10 million renovation effort, the historic Governor's Mansion caught fire last night and nearly burned to the ground before firefighters were able to put out the blaze.

The 8,000-square-foot residence, occupied continuously for over 150 years, was to have a fire suppression system installed during the renovation. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the blaze.

Fortunately, all of the furniture and art inside the mansion had been removed and placed in temporary storage last fall, around the same time that the Governor and his wife moved out. The construction project began this January.

Battalion Chief Buck Palmer recounted last night's harrowing events to KXAN Austin News:

"Our first units arrived to find heavy fire coming from the front porch... the first alarm companies, encountered heavy fire in both the second story and the second story veranda. They pulled back out and at one point had a small collapse, went to a second alarm, third alarm, now we're at a fourth alarm the fire is being fought defensively - that means the firefighters are fighting from the outside."

The Drafthouse's Henri Mazza, ever the intrepid reporter, happened to be nearby. Here's a link to his footage of the blaze, as well as some interviews with nearby eyewitnesses.

From KXAN:

Dawn Clopton from the Austin Fire Department reports that the main fire is now officially out, and that a "good part of the structure is left." The roof of the mansion's second story has partially collapsed, so Austin firefighters are working with structural engineers in order to gain safe access inside the structure. Fire crews are also working with the state preservation office in order to salvage as much of the historic Greek Revival style structure as possible.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@austinist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Allen Y Chen in News on June 8, 2008 10:22 AM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

LoudMouth

Here's the News 8 story.

http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=211040

LoudMouth

Well I just pieced together that the person interviewed by News 8 probably was The Guy With No Shirt On since he had another 911 call that I hadn't heard. The calls on the Houston Chronicle site were different.

LoudMouth

And another thing - if the eyewitness in the video now regrets going on camera then why the hell is he giving interviews to News 8 Austin saying that it took so long for emergency crews to arrive?

LoudMouth

Damn kids and their need for privacy.

Didn't one of them say in the video that the first person to call in was a guy with no shirt on? Was that man a State Trooper? The first four 911 calls have been released and the first one sounds like it's from the trooper dispatch or patchboard and the second one sounds like it was from these kids so is it seems likely to me that the shirtless man never called and was in fact the arsonist. Didn't he say that he was the first one to notice the fire?

heyzeus

It must be the Democrats' fault your soda didn't get refilled too.

seth

Henri Mazza, is there anything he can't do?
No dis on Henri, but he apparently can't get his employer to sell a soft drink for cheaper than a beer. He also can't seem to get free refills on those sodas, either.

Seth

heyzeus

Henri Mazza, is there anything he can't do? Sigh...so dreamy.

LoudMouth

That's why you shouldn't talk to cameras, kids. I hope you learned your lesson.

rob1

Eye-witness account:

We immediately called 911 as we circled the block and pulled up to the front of the mansion. It was shocking to see the full front side of the building engulfed in flames. You could tell the mansion was under construction by the scaffolding on the south side of the building, and the stickers on the individual window panes, so I didn't think at the time anybody was inside. However, I did have a fear that the fire was going to spread to the trees, and completely encircle the building.

Luckily, the firetrucks were quick to arrive. They promptly sprayed the front side of the building and quelled the larger flames. At the point when the video was shot, about 30 minutes had past and as you could see, the fire was not completely extinguished, but it was apparent that nobody was inside or injured. The absurdity of talking into a snapshot camera at that point came off as us being flippant about the blaze, which was not the case.

If this was arson, it saddens me to think somebody would care so little to set fire to such a historic landmark. However, I do find some comfort in hearing that most of the artwork and furniture were not in the house.

davidamnesia

Also....without casting aspersions or accusations at ANYONE (let me make that perfectly, and legally clear): don't certain shirts make perfect fuses for Molotov cocktails? Just saying....."he was fighting not having a shirt"?

davidamnesia

Silver lining: it can be replaced with a McMansion: much more appropriate for our times and the recent administrations to inhabit the former structure.

There is also a golden opportunity for a memorial to the war dead from the most recent (Perry-supported) foreign adventures. Something along the lines of the Confederacy-boosting sculptures on the Capitol lawn. Perhaps the base of the sculpture could be a promise to the nation that Texas promises never to send anyone with such malevolent ignorance to national office.

I'm sure the massive collection of inflammable gubernatorial hair-care products couldn't have helped the heroic effort of the fire department.

pd

So does this mean we are going to have keep paying for his million-dollar rental mansion while the governor's mansion undergoes even more repairs??

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-09-29-4102380917_x.htm

reynard

since school's out for summer, maybe these guys should have a youtube show for, like, greek news in austin. they could laugh about pedophiliacs, rape, murder, drug busts, arson and other fire related emergencies.

yeah, that'd be really great...

seth

I don't have any direct information, just speculation... This weekend, Austin has been invaded by the statewide democratic convention. Members of this organization have been promising that their group would 'take over Texas.' The war of 1812 is the last time I know of an invading army torching an American seat of government.

Seth

Stella

Also, these people, drunk or not, are idiots.

Kerry Skemp

"he was fighting the lack of shirt." nice.

even beyond the video, that's really crazy.

Stella

I was a tour guide at the Governor's Mansion from 1998-2001, and am very depressed by this - the Governor's Mansion is of great historical and architectural significance for Texas. I am relieved that no one was home, and that all the furniture and artwork (including Stephen F. Austin's desk, Sam Houston's bed, the portrait of Sam Houston, and the Robert Onderdonk Painting, "Fall of the Alamo") were in storage, but I am worried about the staircase.

http://www.governor.state.tx.us/about/mansion/tour#entryh

"An important feature original to the house is the grand half-turn staircase. Governor James Hogg, the first native-born Texan to be governor, and his family occupied the house from 1891 to 1895. The Hogg children were very active and loved to slide down the banister. According to Miss Ima Hogg, after her brother Tom fell and was injured, Governor Hogg hammered tacks down the railing of the stairs to prevent any further mishaps. The filled nail holes are still visible."