Battalion Chief Brian Helmick supervises as firefighters extinguish hot spots at a Sims Road fire in Brentwood Thursday. At least one building was destroyed in the first of two major fires Thursday.
Witnesses said they heard an explosion, possibly fireworks, at about 7:45 p.m. in an area where the canoes were stored between two houses. They investigated and found the fiberglass boats on fire, and flames spreading to a pair of 30-foot trees.
Embers from the burning trees started fires on three nearby houses. At least one of which appeared to have sustained moderate damage to its roof. Neighbors used hoses to put out many spot fires.
At one point, flames threatened a number of 5-gallon propane tanks stored on one of the properties. It was not immediately clear if they contained propane, but none of the tanks were damaged.
The fire came on the heels of a grass fire that destroyed at least one building and a line of fences behind houses on Sims Road near Brentwood Boulevard.
No injuries were reported in either incident, and the causes of both are under investigation, according to ECCFPD Chief Hugh Henderson.
Engines from East Contra Costa Fire Protection District and Confire units from as far away as Pittsburg took part in both incidents.
This should underline the need for less firefighters and more fireworks...(Safe & Sane of course ;)
BTW I heartfelt Thanks to Rio Vista for not bowing down to the safety Nazis and doing away with their fireworks stands. It was a quick run over the Antioch bridge to pick them up and have our fun with them in Brentwood!
So where exactly do you live? I would like to know so I can send PD to your home for possessing and lighting illegal fireworks in Contra Costa County. Maybe you should ask the residence that almost lost their homes in Oakley that started the field on fire from illegal fireworks and was dangerously close to burning their homes. Maybe we should consider you responsible for that fire? Since you already admitted you were in possession of these fireworks, maybe you are the responsible party. Maybe since you already admitted to doing something illegal, let's see you turn yourself in to PD. Just a thought!
Well, that sounds like a world class clamity to me.
So JRevi I would turn myself in but there is no contraband for the police to seize. It was all used up the the true spirit of IDEPENDENCE DAY!
You probably wouldn't understand the meaning, you seem to be the type to suck the joy and rights out of our lives.
Wow that was really insightful....somebody might make the mistake and think that you were there or you had any idea what you were talking about. But obviously you weren't because you would realize that those homes were way down wind and that residents were able to put the "SPOT" fires out with garden hoses because they were small and that they had to do that because their entire fire district was committed defending the homes directly adjacent to the main fire.
You seem like a pretty funny guy with a sense of humor and sarcasm....I like that, but if it had been your home or your friends that was still standing because I placed my body between it and fire to protect it you might have a different perspective.