by Chief Paul Smith (ret)
The Burdell Mansion at Rancho Olompali was destroyed by fire in the early morning hours of Sunday, February 2, 1969. However, as much as there is to tell about the fire incident, an appropriate look back will frame this story.
The story of this historic site stretches back in time to the home of Miwok People, a Mexican land grant, a skirmish during the Bear Flag Revolt, then, the 19th century Victorian estate of the Burdell Family before becoming the hippie commune that burned. Today this 700 acre property is a California State Historic Park providing an historical interpretation of times gone by.
This site is the location of the first known adobe building north of the Golden Gate and was constructed by the Spanish in 1776 for the Miwok chief of the Olompali People. Interestingly, the Burdell Mansion at Olompali had been built around a second adobe home built in the 1840’s.
In June 1846 a group of Americans, in an attempt to loosen California from Mexican rule and form the Republic of California, initiated the Bear Flag revolt. Several armed Americans approached the adobe where the occupants, all Mexican citizens, were eating breakfast. Several shots were fired, leaving one man dead and another seriously wounded. This short lived Bear Flag Revolt was a bust. As a result US army troops were stationed nearby until Mexico ceded the land and statehood was granted California in 1850. Eventually, the property was acquired by the University of San Francisco.
During the mid 1960’s the Mansion had become a hippie commune. The folks there referred to themselves as the Chosen Family. During that period several rock bands and musicians spent time there including the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane. In the freewheeling spirt of the times several families lived communally with other like minded individuals. Reportedly, the early days of the commune were relatively peaceful, but the wide-open lifestyle and the influx of harder drugs led to the downturn of this hippie utopia. In the early morning hours of February 2, 1969 a fire broke out on the grounds. The residents were still asleep in the mansion and others were camped out in the grounds in their vans. At least two persons woke to the smell of smoke and helped evacuate the building. It is indeed fortunate no one perished in the blaze.
This Olompali Mansion Fire proved tragic as Novato Fire District Chief George Cavallero died while responding in his vehicle to the incident which was reported in just after five in the morning. The chief was headed northbound on Highway 101, just north of San Marin, when the crash occurred. His brother, Louis Cavallero, an off duty Novato Fire Lieutenant, was also responding to the fire. While enroute, he saw Novato Engine 3 stopped on the shoulder of the northbound lanes of the highway. The chief’s vehicle was in the ditch between the highway and the adjacent railroad tracks. Lieutenant Cavallero soon learned his brother was in cardiac arrest. The story of Chief Cavallero and his line of duty death is covered in greater detail on the Marin Fire History website. Another firefighter, also responding to the fire from home, struck the Grant Avenue bridge over Novato Creek. He suffered injuries and was treated at Novato General Hospital.
Needless to say, this fire had a roaring head start before the Novato fire companies arrived. A lack of suitable water supply hampered suppression efforts but the mansion’s 60,000 gallon swimming pool was tapped. About forty firefighters and seven pieces of equipment were deployed in an attempt to save the mansion. This deep seated fire originated within the mansion and was complicated as it was built around the original adobe structure without the use of fire blocking material. The upper floors and roof of the mansion collapsed while the firefighters continued their defensive positions outside the building. They attempted to stop the spread of the fire to uninvolved sections of the mansion and outbuilding. The fire was declared under control at about 0700.
While researching this story, an interview with Ken Cavallero was conducted. Ken is a retired fire captain with Novato Fire District and nephew of Chief George Cavallero. He provided some additional insight into this tragedy and how the Novato Fire District came to improve emergency medical response service to the community. As mentioned above, Chief Cavallero suffered a heart attack while responding to the Olompali fire. His son, Jimmy, was responding with Novato Engine 3 and brother, Lt. Louis Cavallero was responding off-duty in his private vehicle. Both vehicles stopped at location of the chief’s car on Highway 101.
When it was apparent the Chief was suffering a medical emergency, an ambulance was requested to the scene. In those day, a private ambulance from San Rafael responded. The ambulance apparently took a wrong turn while in route and reported that it would be delayed. Hearing this, the men from Engine 3 loaded Chief Cavallero into the back of his brother’s station wagon and he was rushed to Novato Hospital.
As a result of this tragedy the Novato Fire District decided the status quo was completely unacceptable. The District decided to provide a fire department based ambulance system. Initially, Basic Life Support (BLS) service was initiated. A few years later the District introduce a paramedic squad. This Advanced Life Support, or ALS, unit was dispatched along with the NFD ambulance. Eventually the District equipped all their ambulances as ALS units with two paramedics 24/7. Today, fire department based medical response and transportation to the hospital is the accepted standard throughout Marin County.
The story of this historic site stretches back in time to the home of Miwok People, a Mexican land grant, a skirmish during the Bear Flag Revolt, then, the 19th century Victorian estate of the Burdell Family before becoming the hippie commune that burned. Today this 700 acre property is a California State Historic Park providing an historical interpretation of times gone by.
This site is the location of the first known adobe building north of the Golden Gate and was constructed by the Spanish in 1776 for the Miwok chief of the Olompali People. Interestingly, the Burdell Mansion at Olompali had been built around a second adobe home built in the 1840’s.
In June 1846 a group of Americans, in an attempt to loosen California from Mexican rule and form the Republic of California, initiated the Bear Flag revolt. Several armed Americans approached the adobe where the occupants, all Mexican citizens, were eating breakfast. Several shots were fired, leaving one man dead and another seriously wounded. This short lived Bear Flag Revolt was a bust. As a result US army troops were stationed nearby until Mexico ceded the land and statehood was granted California in 1850. Eventually, the property was acquired by the University of San Francisco.
During the mid 1960’s the Mansion had become a hippie commune. The folks there referred to themselves as the Chosen Family. During that period several rock bands and musicians spent time there including the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane. In the freewheeling spirt of the times several families lived communally with other like minded individuals. Reportedly, the early days of the commune were relatively peaceful, but the wide-open lifestyle and the influx of harder drugs led to the downturn of this hippie utopia. In the early morning hours of February 2, 1969 a fire broke out on the grounds. The residents were still asleep in the mansion and others were camped out in the grounds in their vans. At least two persons woke to the smell of smoke and helped evacuate the building. It is indeed fortunate no one perished in the blaze.
This Olompali Mansion Fire proved tragic as Novato Fire District Chief George Cavallero died while responding in his vehicle to the incident which was reported in just after five in the morning. The chief was headed northbound on Highway 101, just north of San Marin, when the crash occurred. His brother, Louis Cavallero, an off duty Novato Fire Lieutenant, was also responding to the fire. While enroute, he saw Novato Engine 3 stopped on the shoulder of the northbound lanes of the highway. The chief’s vehicle was in the ditch between the highway and the adjacent railroad tracks. Lieutenant Cavallero soon learned his brother was in cardiac arrest. The story of Chief Cavallero and his line of duty death is covered in greater detail on the Marin Fire History website. Another firefighter, also responding to the fire from home, struck the Grant Avenue bridge over Novato Creek. He suffered injuries and was treated at Novato General Hospital.
Needless to say, this fire had a roaring head start before the Novato fire companies arrived. A lack of suitable water supply hampered suppression efforts but the mansion’s 60,000 gallon swimming pool was tapped. About forty firefighters and seven pieces of equipment were deployed in an attempt to save the mansion. This deep seated fire originated within the mansion and was complicated as it was built around the original adobe structure without the use of fire blocking material. The upper floors and roof of the mansion collapsed while the firefighters continued their defensive positions outside the building. They attempted to stop the spread of the fire to uninvolved sections of the mansion and outbuilding. The fire was declared under control at about 0700.
While researching this story, an interview with Ken Cavallero was conducted. Ken is a retired fire captain with Novato Fire District and nephew of Chief George Cavallero. He provided some additional insight into this tragedy and how the Novato Fire District came to improve emergency medical response service to the community. As mentioned above, Chief Cavallero suffered a heart attack while responding to the Olompali fire. His son, Jimmy, was responding with Novato Engine 3 and brother, Lt. Louis Cavallero was responding off-duty in his private vehicle. Both vehicles stopped at location of the chief’s car on Highway 101.
When it was apparent the Chief was suffering a medical emergency, an ambulance was requested to the scene. In those day, a private ambulance from San Rafael responded. The ambulance apparently took a wrong turn while in route and reported that it would be delayed. Hearing this, the men from Engine 3 loaded Chief Cavallero into the back of his brother’s station wagon and he was rushed to Novato Hospital.
As a result of this tragedy the Novato Fire District decided the status quo was completely unacceptable. The District decided to provide a fire department based ambulance system. Initially, Basic Life Support (BLS) service was initiated. A few years later the District introduce a paramedic squad. This Advanced Life Support, or ALS, unit was dispatched along with the NFD ambulance. Eventually the District equipped all their ambulances as ALS units with two paramedics 24/7. Today, fire department based medical response and transportation to the hospital is the accepted standard throughout Marin County.
Editor's Note
The impetus for this piece was inspired when we received a couple of old photographs taken by Richard Pechner on the night of the tragedy. He was an eye witness to the event. Richard was a frequent visitor to Olompali and that night was sleeping in his van on the property. He was awakened by the smell of smoke and the noise of the fire. Richard stated the Burdell mansion was fully involved by the time the first engines arrived. We would like to thank Richard Pechner for the use of his photos which prompted us to produce this article. We would also like to thank the Novato Fire District and retired Novato fire captain Ken Cavallero for their efforts and contributions to the piece. Newspaper clippings are from the Daily Independent Journal printed 03 February, 1969. Ed.
The impetus for this piece was inspired when we received a couple of old photographs taken by Richard Pechner on the night of the tragedy. He was an eye witness to the event. Richard was a frequent visitor to Olompali and that night was sleeping in his van on the property. He was awakened by the smell of smoke and the noise of the fire. Richard stated the Burdell mansion was fully involved by the time the first engines arrived. We would like to thank Richard Pechner for the use of his photos which prompted us to produce this article. We would also like to thank the Novato Fire District and retired Novato fire captain Ken Cavallero for their efforts and contributions to the piece. Newspaper clippings are from the Daily Independent Journal printed 03 February, 1969. Ed.