Fire Damages Wharf Building

A fire raged for hours at the Haslett Warehouse, a historic landmark on Fisherman’s Wharf, destroying the fourth floor and roof.

The fire was contained Sunday, but firefighters continued to watch for flare-ups.

The fourth floor and roof of the 198,000-square-foot building were destroyed, although the brick facade still stands, Fire Capt. Pete Howes said.

Firefighters were keeping people away in case of collapse. The building was built about 1907 and was undergoing renovations.

The Kimpton Hotel and Restaurant Group had signed a 57-year lease with the National Park Service, which owns the Haslett Warehouse, to transform it into the Argonaut Hotel.

“It’s a disappointing circumstance,” said Tom LaTour, chairman and chief executive of the Kimpton Group. He said the hotel’s opening day will probably be pushed back to mid-2003. LaTour said he has no idea how much the damage will cost to repair.

The warehouse is adjacent to the Cannery shopping center, which remained closed Sunday. Some of the 30 shops and restaurants were damaged and would remain closed until cleanup was finished, said Kris Kremers, marketing director for the center.

There were no reports of injuries. Most businesses on the wharf were closed when the fire broke shortly before midnight, city fire Lt. Eric Richardson said.

Fire investigators did not immediately determine a cause.