Evangeline's in Old Sacramento damaged by fire, Costume Mansion untouched
One of the city's oldest buildings - and along with it, one of Sacramento's iconic businesses - was damaged in a fire early Tuesday morning.
Sacramento Fire crews responded to Evangeline's Costume Mansion novelty and gift store along K Street just after 1 a.m.
Firefighters found dense and cold smoke, signifying that the fire had been burning for some time.
Fire sprinklers had kicked in by the time firefighters arrived, helping keep the flames from spreading through the rest of the building as well as into other nearby businesses.
Still, firefighters say the first floor suffered water damage from the sprinklers being on for some time. The basement of the building also suffered some damage.
Smoke damage was also reported throughout the building, firefighters say.
In a statement posted to their social media accounts, Evangeline's owner said the Costume Mansion part of the store on the second floor of the building was untouched in the fire.
Evangeline's also stated that they will be closed for the foreseeable future.
"We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the Sacramento Fire Dept & Sac Metro Fire for their quick response and saving our precious building. We will continue to update the community as we know more," Evangeline's said in a statement.
No injuries were reported in the fire. Exactly what started the fire is under investigation.
It's not the first time this old building has faced flames. has been open in Old Sacramento since 1974, occupying both the historic Lady Adams Building (built in the 1850s) and the Howard House (built in the 1860s). It survived two great fires that destroyed much of the new city in the 1850s.
"Whenever we get a fire in Old Sac, it's always going to be a challenging fire just because of the old construction down here," said Sacramento Fire Captain Justin Sylvia. "Luckily, this building was retrofitted years ago with a fire sprinkler system, or else this would have been a different story. This probably would have taken down an entire block."
The business just celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Longtime customers were saddened to hear about the damage.
"I've been going there ever since I remember, just looking for good Halloween costumes and something that would really be different," customer Mary Hubbs said.
Nearby store owners say Evangeline's was one of the most popular businesses in Old Sacramento and helped bring customers down to the historic district.
"I hope they can get back up on their feet quickly because we all really rely on Evangeline's down here, all of us in terms of people just coming and seeing the rest of us," said Maggie Baker, owner of ThreadCo Boutique.
