Massive fallen oak tree leaves East Bay residents trapped in their neighborhood
EL SOBRANTE -- Angry, frustrated, tired -- those were the reaction from the roughly 90 families in El Sobrante who were cut off for seven hours Sunday after a downed tree blocked the only way in and out of their community.
It's called the Pinole Shores community and Rancho Road is the only access road.
Contra Costa County Authorities said just after 2 p.m. Sunday, a dead oak tree snapped and landed on some power lines, blocking the street. Crews had to wait for PG&E to deactivate the lines before they could remove the tree.
"I'm just sad cuz I can't get home," said 8-year-old Jade Morris.
The roughly 90 families that depend on Rancho Road were stuck for much of the day.
"I would love to go home and lay down cuz I'm super tired and I have to go to work in the morning, but unfortunately, I have to wait," said resident Mieshael Henry.
"My husband and baby are in the car," said resident Laura Imai. " So I guess we will go call some people and ask if we can (stay with them for a while.) So our dog is (home). I'm just worried about our dog."
"I've been here for 12 years and this has been the first time it's happened," added resident James Baker.
Some neighbors like Baker who were tired of waiting hiked up a hill to get back into their community.
Neighbors say the major inconvenience was raising serious safety concerns in an area where a wildfire could erupt in the tinder-dry hills.
"How we would get out of here if there was a fire? Because there is an emergency exit that's been here for years, but it's locked and blocked," said Baker.
The Pinole Fire Department said firefighters can cut the lock to the emergency access road.
"It's not too often when you have one means of access to a neighborhood with this many homes get cut off like this," said Batt. Chief Jim Brooks.
Crews reopened one lane of Rancho Road just after 9:30 p.m., finally allowing residents to go home.
