Although the fire chief said indications point to an accidental cause for the recent downtown blaze destroying a historic building and artifacts inside the structure, the owner of the valuable collection still wants answers.
“I’d like to know who started the accident,” said Tim Lantz, the historic preservationist whose lost antiques were valued at an estimated $4 million.
Lantz owns the Circa Architectural Antiques business that housed the antiques, including the world’s largest collection of Solon and Schemmel Tile Co. materials – or the S&S tile made largely in the 1920s and 1930s.
As a preservationist of old buildings, Lantz owned a vast array of components for historic structures. He had everything from a massive door collection down to the screws used in those entryways. Lantz had been in the process of setting up an online marketplace for his items.
“I don’t have an answer for it,” he said. “It was my past, my present and my future. … Now I have to start all over again.”
Lantz was responding to the investigation into the March 21 fire to the building at 853 San Benito St. Investigators have said they believe the fire started in the deck area on the Circa Architectural Antiques side of the building. The fire chief noted how the department was continuing to gather statements.
While Lantz has estimated his antique collection losses at $4 million, the Ridgemark Realty portion of the building facing San Benito Street had about $60,000 to $100,000 in damage to property inside the structure, a total loss itself, the fire chief said.
Fire Chief Mike O’Connor expected to get more information this week on the fire’s possible cause.
“Everything is leaning toward it was an accidental fire,” O’Connor said.
