A devastating inferno ripped through a historic Alpine home Tuesday, leaving a local pastor and his extensive family homeless. The 3,800-square-foot house, once the residence of Alpine's notable historian Beatrice La Force, was engulfed in flames around noon. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the fire marshal Jason McBroom reported no casualties, but the home was declared a total loss.
Five families consisting of a grandfather, his children, and several grandchildren had made the house their home. With the family displaced, concerns were raised over how many individuals were affected, although no one was home during the blaze. Firefighters from multiple departments responded to a second alarm call as the fire reached the attic, but fortunately, no nearby brush or other residences were threatened.
This house wasn't just any building. Owned by El Camino Grace Church Senior Pastor David Bray, the home also held the heart of the mountain community as it was built in 1946 by the La Force family. The pivotal figure, Beatrice La Force, penned the town's history, meticulously archiving a past that would have otherwise dissipated into the ethers. In an interview obtained by NBC San Diego, Alpine Historical Society Archivist Carol Morrison lamented the loss saying, "It’s like losing a person," regarding how integral the home was to the community.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and while officials do not suspect foul play, the ramifications echo beyond the structural loss. Pastor Bray, conveying resilience in the face of devastation, told NBC San Diego, "Emotionally we are devastated obviously. I am thankful. I have faith in the Lord Jesus. I am a pastor and I know he has a purpose for everything." Despite the history razed by the fire, no one was injured, nor did the conflagration call for any evacuations nearby.
