By Lanz Christian Bañes
The Vallejo Times-Herald
Police arrested one person in connection to a suspected arson that threatened several structures Thursday, fire officials said.
The fire, which began about 2:30 p.m., was concentrated on the railroad tracks near the intersection of Sacramento and Illinois streets, south of Farragut Avenue.
The tracks were at the bottom of 100-foot embankment and ran underneath Sacramento Street, which forms an overpass for the train tracks.
Multiple structures on both sides of Sacramento Street were in the path of the fire, Assistant Vallejo Fire Chief Greg Falkenthal said.
“It was dicey for a while. We fully expected one or two (homes) going,” he said.
Pieces of the actual track caught fire, but most of the damage was done to the brush and trees of the steep embankment. Several tall eucalyptus trees suffered damage, as did a palm tree.
Law enforcement officials blocked off Sacramento Street between Indiana and Arkansas streets and parts of Illinois Street and Farragut Avenue.
Plumes of smoke inundated the area as firefighters suppressed the blaze.
“We thought it was clouds,” said Maxwell Mommsen, 14, who was playing video games with his friend Jordan Murrell, 15.
Murrell lives in the area. When they saw the smoke, the two left Murrell’s home to watch the fire battle, but got stuck as firefighters shut down the intersection.
Victor Hughes, 12, and Emari Cusseaux, 10, were playing in the area on their scooters and were also blocked from their homes as streets were sealed.
“The fire got hecka huge,” Hughes said.
All four boys could been seen surreptitiously sneaking past the blockade on Farragut Avenue to get back to their houses.
Every firefighter on duty responded, as well as several young fire explorers and police cadets.
“It just seems like a good job,” a mud-spattered Chris Craft, 14, said of fire fighting. Craft, a member of the Fire Explorer program which teaches students about the profession, was spraying down the embankment as he received instructions from veteran firefighters.
It took about an hour and half to control the fire, with personnel putting out hot spots for some time thereafter.
All five Vallejo engines and the ladder truck were on scene, as were several other fire vehicles. Mutual aid was activated, and fire departments from as far as Napa County covered the city while Vallejo firefighters battled the blaze, Falkenthal said.
The initial 911 caller reported seeing a person fleeing from the scene, Falkenthal said. This was corroborated by other witnesses in the area, he said.
The investigation culminated in an arrest by police of a suspect, Falkenthal said.
Police did not return calls for comment by press time Thursday to identify the suspect and the booking charges.
At least three separate fires were set in the suspected arson, Falkenthal said. No one was hurt.
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