A three-alarm that destroyed a former lumber yard that now houses a roofing supply company originated in a homeless encampment on the north side of the property adjacent to state Highway 4, the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District said.
One firefighter was hospitalized for treatment of smoke inhalation suffered while fighting the fire at the former Piedmont Lumber Co. yard at 2120 Piedmont Way in Pittsburg, which is now occupied by the Elite Roofing Supply Co.
The fire was first reported at 2:39 p.m. Sunday, and had been knocked down by 4:05 p.m., the fire district said.
The blaze sent large plumes of black smoke into the air and across the freeway. Some nearby vegetation also
burned.
By 6 p.m., only a few firefighters remained on the scene.
photo credit: Minnie Beann
Homeless encampment. Enough said.
Check and see if their meth dealer is a guy named Jesse. He’s the guy that started all the fires on Potrero Hill. Don’t pay your meth tab and he burns your encampment down.
I wonder, while not everyone named Jesse sells meth, are all meth dealers named Jesse? Seems like it.
Time to open military-style tents with bunks, water, and porta potties and 24 hour police protection. And then tear down all the encampments.
Allowing mentally ill, criminals, and substance abusers to camp and sleep wherever they want to may make some liberal democrats happy, but the rest of us think this is crazy and dangerous.
I have to say that is a pretty ignorant statement. I like to think of myself being liberal minded and have empathy for those that are less fortunate than myself. However, I do not believe that the homeless should be allowed to live wherever they want. We still live in a free society but obviously, there has been a problem with homeless encampments and the trouble that they can bring. Along with dirty needles, extremely unsanitary conditions, crime, drug abuse and the garbage that is left behind is a problem for us all. No matter what party affiliation you belong to I think that most people would agree this is not good. This is no easy fix and we need to do something with the homeless problem. Good day sir.
When are our city and state leaders going to do something about the homeless peopl living on our city streets? Surely if we have millions of dollars for illegals, millions for high speed rail, millions for this that and the other, then why the heck can’t we do something about the homeless living on our city streets? I’m so sorry for the owners of that roofing business. What a shame. The Democrats who run this state should be ashamed that they care more about illegals than they do about our own citizens.
I’m telling you right now that a different political party would not make the difference… but I agree with the rest of your sentiment.
It certainly wasn’t like this under Schwartzenegger.
How about using some of the $21 BILLION “rainy day fund” that the state has in reserve-oh that’s right, that money will go to paying state retirement pensions that are totally unfunded. Rainy day my arse.
Piedmont Lumber burned down at the same location as well as their yard on North Main Street in Walnut Creek a decade or so ago.
Not at all surprised there’s a homeless encampment in that area, plenty of cover plus a couple large drainage tunnels.
Is a three block walk down Garcia Ave. for homeless to recycling facility on Harbor Street. A block farther West are fast food places.
Maybe it is time for internment camps. Round them up, move them out. I hate Trump but I would vote for reelection if he ordered this. I am sick of “got any change” outside of stores. Sick of dude with pants over their butts sleeping in SF. Tired of walking past trippers smelling of poop. I used to have sympathy for these people but no more.
Vote for him anyways. Your only other choices are people who will bring more of this, but also tax us more for them doing nothing. You cannot solve homelessness by giving them stuff. The problem is the people themselves. The only way to solve this is to STOP offering them anything at all and let them die off.
Homeless folk stared a fire…. who’da thunk that could happen?
(again and again and again).
Get used to it Californians. The city and the state don’t give a s*** about anything but your money. Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme I want more.
Seems I remember Gov Regan and later Gov Brown in his first terms, both created, and got passed, laws that in essence said if the incompetent, mentally ill, or drug addicts, didn’t want or refused treatments, the state could not keep them confined. I think both Governors were more concerned with the costs than the results. It wasn’t long before the mentally ill, addicts, and incompetents, were on streets because the places they would have been sent were closed. Then the homelessness started getting worse as well. This all started because of money and is still going on because of money. None of it will ever be fixed.
If I’m not mistaken, it was the ACLU that pushed for a change in the law.
The law was passed under the 1st, father Brown. It was law when Reagan took office. The law had to be followed. However, that was so many years ago and I don’t think anyone would have expected it to come to this. Why hasn’t legislation been passed to change it? Cities make it too easy for these people. They seem to know enough to cash their checks. No more benefits to illegals until our own population is taken care of. The money spent on the illegals could be used to house and treat these mentally ill individuals.
That was the result of an ACLU lawsuit.
That was the result of a SCOTUS ruling in the Donaldson case in Florida.
This was during a time when there was a lot of pressure to shut down mental institutions across the country. Look at the popularity of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” And the ACLU and other so-called mental health advocates were suing to move mental health services moved out into the community.
Yep –
My problem is that there is little compassion for these people who find themselves homeless, by design or by situations.
That said, these people seem to leave decency behind with their trash and debris, for others to take care of. Is this a lack of mental health care for the people who will constantly disrupt through dumping, carelessness, or other actions?
What do we need to do to solve this?
said by a poster
“When are our city and state leaders going to do something about the homeless peopl living on our city streets?”
this state wants all the bums it can get and is making more by defunding schools and passing failing students until they are out of the system with a 4th grade education
this city and all the cities are following the state direction of counting the bums and getting fed money to deal with them …
you the voters have allowed this
I would bet most of the homeless are addicts and have no desire to change. Its easier to panhandle or steal than to work. As for the so called homeless on the freeway on and off ramps that is another story. About 90 percent look well enough to work, well dressed for being homeless and I once saw a woman with a key chain with keys on it (homeless?). As long as people give them money there is no reason for them to get jobs. Nothing wrong with having a good heart and wanting to help someone but if they do not look homeless or look capable of working I would think twice about giving your hard earned cash.
I would disagree with you. As someone who has been homeless I can tell you it had nothing to do with drugs or booze. It had to do with I got laid off from my Job and EDD did not pay enough to pay my monthly expenses. In addition I was not eligible for any type of county or state aide because my EDD bennies paid too much. I lived in my car and roach infested motel rooms for more than a year. I was lucky because I had someone to take me in after a year. So don’t be saying stuff you know nothing about.
THANK YOU TO THE FIREFIGHTERS!
drove by the fire twice and the second time around it was definitely contained. so sad to see any buildings on fire. With all this heat i dont think id be able to do what they do on a regular basis.
AWESOME JOB CC FIREFIGHTERS!
DJ Jaffe, author of the book “Insane Consequences”, posted this write-up in the City Journal:
Betraying the Most Vulnerable:
How mental health advocates impose degradation on the seriously mentally ill.
https://www.city-journal.org/mentally-ill-ada
Politically correct national policies have resulted in the mentally ill getting jailed far more often than they are hospitalized. And then they are released back on the streets in worse shape.
And then there’s this:
Los Angeles Homeless Can Now Hold More Property On Skid Row. LA city workers are getting more rare infections linked to rats.
https://www.lataco.com/homeless-property-seizure-lapd-rats-downtown/
We will get homeless encampments as long as we have this failed out-of-date economic system that festers inequality and does not serve all it’s citizens.
CA Redemption charged on containers originally propagandized as helping the environment, turned out being another stealth tax perpetrated by politicians.
An when prices paid for recyclables dropped operating recycling centers became much less profitable number of locations dropped significantly.
Remaining recycling centers have the effect of concentrating homeless populations around them by provides homeless with cash enabling them to subsist and be resistant towards efforts to help them off the streets.
Heck,the mothball fleet out in Carquinez Strait is no more. There used to be row upon row of Navy retired vessels, which could have come in handy to place the homeless. …….
Regarding Piedmont Lumber, was there ever a determination made as to what started the Pittsburg and Walnut Creek fires? To the best of my recollection, no official cause was determined for either fire.
The Walnut Creek blaze started on a Saturday, and on a Saturday when the store was closed (for what reason I don’t recall). Spoke with a contractor who purchased items at the WC location. He said the store’s inventory had been lower than normal in the past few weeks before the store burned down.
Are you implying some kind of wrongdoing by the owners of Piedmont Lumber?
Yes, there was and it was reported ever so briefly on the news in print as well as the media. Since the truth is not what the media wishes to report, it did not get much coverage. It was deemed to be caused by an electrical issue. A transformer blew. People ignorant to the facts will continue to make incorrect assessments regarding the matter.
Overwhelmed. I said most, not all. So don’t take it personal. I know there are those who have fallen on bed times and I feel for you. But in Contra Costa there are far more drug addicts and alcoholics living on the streets than those who are not.