Firework Blazes Keep Bay Area Firefighters Busy
OAKLEY (CBS SF) – Firefighters were forced to battle at least three fires ignited by fireworks Monday night, including an Oakley blaze that sent two people to the hospital.
According to the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District, the blaze broke out at 9:21 p.m. in the 600 block of Honey Lane.
PG&E crews had to shut off high-voltage power lines in the area as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.
Although the fire only caused minimal damage to a home before it was extinguished, two people had to be taken to a hospital because of smoke inhalation, according to the fire district.
While fireworks were believe to be a possible cause of the blaze, Oakley police will determine the exact cause of the fire.
In Vallejo, fireworks that were improperly extinguished started a one-alarm fire at a residence in Vallejo early this Tuesday morning.
Officials said the fire was reported at 1:15 a.m. in the 100 block of Dieninger Street near Griffin Drive.
Fireworks Result in Structure FireIllegal Fireworks Result in Structure Fire At approximately 1:14am Vallejo Fire Department received multiple calls for a possible fire in the area of Dieninger Street and Griffin Drive. First arriving unit, Engine 25, reported heavy smoke and flames seen from the garage of 109 Dieninger Street. All occupants safely escaped the structure prior to the arrival of fire units. Engine 25 immediately initiated fire attack, making entry through the front door and suppressing the fire in the garage through the kitchen. The fire was successfully contained to the garage, preventing spread to the living space, and protecting the home and contents within. Two adults and one child were displaced and Red Cross was dispatched to assist the occupants as the home was ruled uninhabitable due to smoke damage. A total of three engines, one truck, and the Battalion Chief responded to the scene as well as the newly outfitted vehicle Rescue 21. Fire Investigator Keith Warner determined that the fire was a "direct result of spent fireworks being placed next to the combustible surface of the D side exterior wall. The packaging was still smoldering and reached full combustion which transferred to the combustible wall of the home". The property loss is estimated at $100,000, however due to the quick actions of fire crews it is estimated that over $450,000 worth of structure and property was saved. Fireworks of any kind, regardless of "Safe and Sane" classification, are illegal within the City of Vallejo. The Fire Department responded to approximately 62 reports of fireworks activity within the city over a 24 hour period July 4th to the 5th. Two fire prevention staff and one investigator were on duty throughout the evening to respond to calls and supplement the response of regular staffing. These statistics do not take into account all of the unreported activity throughout the evening. Crews responded to numerous reports of airborne fireworks over vegetation areas, several unfounded reports of vegetation fires threatening structures, and this working structure fire on Dieninger Street.
Posted by Vallejo Firefighters on Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Vallejo Fire Department fire Engineer Anthony Shair-Ali said the residents used the fireworks Monday night and left improperly extinguished ones still in packaging against an exterior garage wall of the residence.
Firefighters contained the fire to the garage. A ceiling inside the home to be pulled down to make sure flames did not spread.
Two adults and a child were displaced and the American Red Cross responded to find temporary housing.
Meanwhile, what started as a grass fire possibly caused by fireworks Sunday night turned into a 12-hour attempt to completely knock down a blaze that slowly scorched construction supplies in Brentwood.
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The fire kept all of the East Contra Costa Fire Protect District's crews busy until 4 a.m. Monday and aused around $100,000 in damage because the blaze was burning through stacks of a company's building materials, Fire Chief Hugh Henderson said.
The fire began around 10 p.m. Sunday with 100 feet of vegetation on both sides of Marsh Creek Trail burning near Hanson Lane. What grew to a 2-acre fire in an open field on Elkins Way then spread to a nearby supply yard belonging to Town & Country Roofing & Solar.
The fire was contained within an hour, but it took around 12 hours to extinguish the fire in the supply yard because of the presence of combustibles, Henderson said.
Fireworks are suspected to be the cause of the original vegetation fire.
The fire served as a climax to a busy Sunday for the fire district. The district received 36 calls throughout the day and had to rely on other agencies to answer at least 10 of them.
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