Fire Department rules Woman’s Club fire accidental

The fire that gutted the Woman’s Club of Huntington Beach’s headquarters April 30 was accidental, according to a release from the Huntington Beach Fire Department.

Deputy Fire Marshal Jeff Lopez said arson did not cause the fire, which burned the building at 420 10th St. nearly to the ground and took decades’ worth of artifacts and paper records with it.

However, investigators have not determined the actual cause and are still testing items from the scene, Lopez said.

The Woman’s Club operated out of the 101-year-old building since 1916. City officials have said the club can build a new structure on the property, but will have to adhere to modern building codes that would prevent it from being a replica of the original.

— Michael Miller