NBC Bay Area: Fire scorches vacant MACSA building in San Jose

A three-alarm fire destroyed the vacant former MACSA youth center in San Jose early Friday.

At about 1 a.m., San Jose firefighters responded to a large fire at the vacant building 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 remained at the scene throughout the day for fire watch.

San Jose City Councilman Peter Ortiz, whose district includes the MACSA center, told NBC Bay Area that 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, our Mexicano community from east side,” Ortiz said. “It is a huge setback, but it doesn’t mean the end.”

The nonprofit Mexican American Community Services Agency was the center of controversy in 2010 when armed investigators raided the center. It was believed leaders were skimming money from employees’ 401ks. Two high-ranking officials with the organization were charged in the scandal.

Preliminary reports said Friday’s fire began as an exterior blaze, but the cause was not yet determined and under investigation.

The Alum Rock Union School District owns the MACSA site, and Renaissance at Mathson school, which is adjacent to the property, canceled classes for Friday because of the fire, a district spokesperson for confirmed Friday morning.