Crews were battling a three-alarm structure fire in San Jose early Friday.
At about 1 a.m., San Jose firefighters responded to a large fire at the vacant MACSA youth center at 600 Sinclair Drive in the city’s Mayfair district, officials said.
Fire officials told NBC Bay Area the building was fully involved when they arrived.
A fire department spokesperson said the blaze was challenging to fully knock down due to many enclosed compartments within the structure. Crews will remain on scene throughout the day for fire watch.
San Jose City Councilman Peter Ortiz, whose district includes the MACSA center told NBC Bay Area groups working to save MACSA had just secured an investment from the city.
“We wanted to save that building because it meant so much to our Latino community, Mexicano community from east side,” Ortiz said. “It is a huge setback, but it doesn’t mean the end.”
Preliminary reports said the fire began as an exterior blaze, but the cause was not yet determined and under investigation.
Renaissance at Mathson school, which is adjacent to the MACSA property, canceled classes for Friday because of the fire, a spokesperson for the Alum Rock Union School District confirmed Friday morning.
Source: NBC Bay Area