Investigators Determine Last Night’s Structure Fire in Ukiah was the Result of Arson

[All photos by Peter Armstrong]

Last night, Ukiah’s NorCal Dermatology located on the corner of South Dora Street and Observatory Avenue caught on fire and was quickly consumed as high winds buffeted the region.

Ukiah Valley Fire Authority Battalion Chief Justin Buckingham told us investigators determined that the fire was an act of arson suspected to have been a transient’s cooking or warming fire.

Investigators learned from neighbors that a transient had been sleeping near the business in recent days, but could not offer any details about a description of the suspect.

Firefighter hosing down burning building.

Firefighter hosing down burning building.

Chief Buckingham expressed concern that transient traffic and the associated behaviors have become normalized to the point that the public is not practicing situational awareness. “I have seen numerous fires being lit by transients on surveillance footage

, and people are just driving by like it’s a normal thing,” he said “People have become numb.”

Flames leap into the air. Matt LaFever [Photos by Peter Armstrong]

Flames leap into the air.

The Chief asks that residents near the destroyed structure closely examine their surveillance cameras for any sign of the individual involved in lighting the fire. If any member of the public has information or surveillance footage regarding the individual that was camped at NorCal Dermatology, call the Ukiah Police Department at (707) 463-6262.

There are two types of arson, Chief Buckingham explained, reckless arson and malicious arson. Reckless arson is lighting a fire without considering the potential risk of spread and nearby combustibles that could result in unintended ignitions. In contrast, malicious arson is purposeful and deliberate.

Matt LaFever [Photos by Peter Armstrong]

The area is lit by the glow.

Chief Buckingham told us the fire was first reported by a civilian and Ukiah Police Department officers quickly arrived on the scene. Upon officers’ arrival, the east side of the structure was burning and running upwards into the attic. Investigators would come to find that fire started near a doorway.

When firefighters got there, they determined the building was vacant and began attacking the flames from the outside. Their efforts were thwarted when the high winds billowed into the attic’s ventilation vents quickly consuming the entire structure.

Matt LaFever [Photos by Peter Armstrong]

The entire building was eventually engulfed in flames.

At that point, Battalion Chief Buckingham said the firefighting efforts transitioned to defensive saturating the exterior of the building with hoses and protecting nearby vegetation and structures.

NorCal Dermatology was the office of Dr. Henry DeGroot, but was in the process of being leased and not actively in business.

As the fuels dry and summer approaches, Chief Buckingham asks the public to “be aware of what is going on, take note of things out of the ordinary, and if you see something, say something.”

This article is written by Matt LaFever, the lead reporter and founder of MendoFever.com, our brother news site based in Mendocino County. If you’d like to contact him directly, email him at [email protected]

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Kim
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Kim
1 year ago

Arson is intended, bums fires are not intended to burn down buildings. Come on now Kymmie! Get off the weed before work!

local observer
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local observer
1 year ago
Reply to  Kim

the chief explains “reckless arson” in the article. do you read?

Laytonvillain
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Laytonvillain
1 year ago
Reply to  local observer

No way to know if Kim reads or not, but by golly we know she doesn’t smoke any jazz cabbage before work!

Laytonvillain
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Laytonvillain
1 year ago
Reply to  Kim

The bum intended to light the fire. It doesn’t matter what it spread to. Kind of like if you shoot a gun in the air and kill someone, you could be charged with third degree murder. As opposed to a real accident, which is an accident.

Seems pretty straightforward to me, and I’m a weed user. Meh.

Woed
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Woed
1 year ago

What’s the difference in a cooking fire and a warming fire

Bozo
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Bozo
1 year ago
Reply to  Woed

Just a bumfire.

Steve Koch
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Steve Koch
1 year ago

Step 1: create shelters for homeless where they can live safely and cleanly and cook food and heat their living space without danger of starting fires.

Step 2: force the homeless to use those shelters.

Laytonvillain
Guest
Laytonvillain
1 year ago

Step one: vote for Michael Shellenberger for Governor of California