Unattended Candle Lights Vehicle, Automotive Repair Shop on Fire in Eureka
This is a press release from Humboldt Bay Fire:
At 1:29 A.M. a single Humboldt Bay Fire unit was dispatched to a reported vehicle fire to the rear of an automotive repair shop on the 800 Block of Fourth Street. Within a minute of the initial dispatch, Humboldt Bay Fire Dispatchers received additional information indicating that the burning vehicle was in close proximity to the building. The Humboldt Bay Fire Dispatchers upgraded the response to a full structure fire response. Three additional units and a duty officer also responded.
The first arriving unit found a fully involved vehicle to the rear of the structure with fire spreading to other nearby vehicles and the automotive repair business. Fire had broken through the windows of the shop and was burning in the interior automotive bays of the repair shop.
The first unit attacked the fire and slowed its progress in the structure and prevented it from spreading to other nearby uninvolved vehicles. Additional HBF units entered the shop and controlled the fire within 15 minutes. Personnel confirmed that nobody was inside the business.
A second alarm was requested and the mutual aid resources responded to assist with any additional calls within the Humboldt Bay Fire jurisdiction.
Humboldt Bay Fire officials investigated the cause of the fire. It was determined that the fire was caused by a subject using a candle while camping in a vehicle. The subject fell asleep and the candle ignited the interior of the car. The fire engulfed the car and spread to the other nearby vehicles and the structure. Although the subject had minor smoke inhalation, medical treatment was declined.
Damage was estimated at $100,000. There were no injuries to fire personnel. Humboldt Bay Fire would like to thank its allied partners for their assistance with coverage during this incident. Arcata Fire Protection District and Samoa Fire District helped to ensure the safety of the HBF community while our resources were committed.
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The subject with the candle is lucky to be alive. I hope the repair shop has good insurance to cover the cost of the building and the vehicles that burned. Thank you to our great men and women of Humboldt Bay Fire for knocking that fire down in 15 minutes!!!
Automobile shops burn hot and relentless.
I agree Martin. 15 minutes is a sign of how relentless our firefighters are!
Trying to stay warm on a summer night, where is global warming when we need it. Who needs insurance, dude with the candle needs to pay for damages like any hard working respectful person.
You can’t squeeze blood out of a rock.
True. But you can make rocks bleed.
community service at minimum wage, times however many hours it takes, to compensate for being a careless idiot for a start.
Not looking for blood, just work , I’m willing to supervise these guys. Its about time people are held responsible, and I’ve got the time to babysit
Indentured servitude needs to be reprised. Accountability is a real thing. Work off your transgressions.
Maybe the shop needs to put a bed inside for the night watchman instead of letting him sleep in a car ?
So was the person with the candle also a ” break-in and enter “?
Sigh. Junkies ruining everything…..again. but hey let’s give them free needles, free food, free healthcare and some ssi money.
And free batteries.
And free flashlight.
Maybe he smoked too much weed and passed out?
Any criminal charges on this sleeping Einstein ?
You can get away with murder in Humboldt. So the answer is No.
That’s a great business, been there for years. Hopefully they can get back to business as usual. Downtown Eureka sucks.
I’m pretty sure I had gas taken from my vehicle parked in that same area last week.
This is sad. The owner of the shop is a great and totally honest. I hope he is able to recover from the loss.
Rents what they are, not all homeless people are junkies; and the candle was likely used for light like in the old days. They’re not a great source of heat.
Oh please, stop making excuses for vagrants who cause carnage in our community. If your business was destroyed you’d be singing a different tune. I’m sick of this pandering to thieving junkie scum , it’s destroying Humboldt, in fact its destroying America . We need to get tough with these kind of people not make excuses for them.
Poor camper must have been freezing in July, maybe? Maybe not?
But a candle provides enough heat to cook up a bump. Just don’t pass out in your car while the candle’s burning.
Exactly ?
Are you sure it was not caused by an under payed night watchman?