Moraga-Orinda Fire District Responds to 4th Alarm in Walnut Creek-Piedmont Lumber
By Battalion Chief Darrell Lee
March 19, 2010
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- A four-alarm fire that burned through a lumber yard in Walnut Creek Saturday afternoon closed nearby streets and caused a power outage that affected more than 300 PG&E customers.
The fire was reported at 1:44 p.m. at Piedmont Lumber, located at 2860 N. Main St, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Fire Chief John Ross said.
About 70 firefighters and other personnel responded to the fire, which was contained but still burning at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Ross said.
He said crews are in a "long, arduous firefight" that was expected to last into the evening.
The building on the property was a complete loss, and the county's hazardous materials team was on site because hazardous materials such as paints, solvents, and petroleum materials burned in the fire, he said.
Authorities did not issue a shelter-in-place warning, but Ross said the warning was considered as temperatures decreased later that evening since "as it cools off, smoke tends to lay down more."
Following the report of the fire, PG&E crews de-energized the power circuit nearby, cutting off power to 306 customers, PG&E spokesman J.D. Guidi said.
The outage only affected customers in the area near North Main Street, Guidi said.
An employee at a Burger King restaurant located across the street from the lumber yard said the restaurant is one of the businesses without power. She said there were no customers in the restaurant, so "we're just standing by in here, and cleaning up."
North Main Street was closed between Second and Sunnyvale avenues while crews fought the blaze, according to Ross.
No injuries were reported in connection with the fire.
AMR, PGE, County Haz-Mat, CHP, Eagle 6, San Ramon, Moraga-Orinda, East Contra Costa, East Bay Regional Parks, El Cerrito, Rodeo-Hercules, Fremont Fire, Livermore-Pleasanton and Alameda County Fires
Ladder Truck - 1000 Gallons per minute
3rd alarm going to a 4th...
Truck 41 at 4th Alarm-Ladder Water Tower
MOFD Trk 41 background, Quint 1 in front.
Picture courtesy of San Ramon Valley Fire District.
Courtesy of KGO photos.
Engineer Davies in the platform of Truck 141.
Picture courtesy of SRVFD
MOFD Engineer Rattary at the scene ready to put some big water on the fire. Too dangerous for interior firefighting 2n2out established, but left to defensive tactics. Ambulances stood by across the street to provide medical to firefighters.
Photo courtesy of SRVFD.
