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Fire destroys Barr Mansion ballroom
Austin area fire officials said a fire this morning has destroyed the detached ballroom at Barr Mansion, a popular destination for weddings and other large events. No injuries were reported.
The fire, at Barr Mansion at 10463 Sprinkle Road, was a total loss for the two-part building that contained the ballroom and a support room, causing an estimated loss of more than $500,000, according to an Austin area fire official.
The fire did not affect the main building at the site, the 106-year-old mansion, the fire official said.
For now, fire officials say the preliminary cause of the fire may have been a lightning strike connected to overnight storms, said Chief Flo Soliz for Emergency Service District No. 4.
“In an hour to an hour and a half (investigators) will be able to come in and do a more thorough investigation,” Soliz said. “Right now, it’s more of a gut feeling because of all the lightning strikes in the area.”
The fire broke out at about 4 a.m. this morning, said Soliz, whose Emergency Service District No. 4. tackled this morning’s fire along with units from Emergency Service District No. 12 and the Travis County Fire Marshal’s office.
The roof of the building did come down as a result of the fire, Soliz said.
The fire was tough news for staff at Barr Mansion on Wednesday, who were scrambling to touch base with couples with upcoming weddings during what is a very busy season for the facility. One staffer said the roof of the ballroom was comprised of 18th-century wood that had been shipped and flown in from Turkey. The 45-foot ceiling is what gave the ballroom its dramatic feel.
The staffer said that planned weddings would go on. This weekend the Barr Mansion had three weddings scheduled at the 7-acre property.
“The show must go on, and it will go on,” said Mario Trevino, head groundskeeper, who has been at the Barr Mansion for 17 years.
The ballroom was constructed about 11 years ago, Trevino said. The Barr Mansion began hosting events about 20 years ago. Trevino said they were initially planning to use tents on site to house upcoming wedding events until the ballroom facility could be rebuilt. Fortunately, the mansion was untouched, Trevino said.
The Barr Mansion hosts about 80 wedding each year, Trevino said. Summer is the mansion’s busiest season for weddings, he said.
There were no injuries as a result of the fire, but units are still on scene to ensure embers do not lead to more fires on the scene, Soliz said. Overall, two fire engine trucks, a ladder company and two battalion chiefs responded to the fire, Soliz said.
