Update: Dog dies, classic car destroyed after fire burns 2 homes in Antioch

By Web staff

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    ANTIOCH, California (KPIX) — A fire burned two homes and destroyed several cars in Antioch early Wednesday morning.

According to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, the fire started around 3 a.m. on a detached garage between the two homes near the intersection of Eighth and D Streets before spreading to both buildings.

All of the residents were able to evacuate safely, but five to six adults were displaced.

No one knows where the spark came from that ignited the home on D Street. It was about 3:00 am when Paul Thatcher’s dogs began barking.

“And when I got to the back door, I saw the doggy door was orange,” Thatcher told KPIX. “And I’m, like, what?! And I heard the crackling, and I tried the door and, man, it was an inferno.”

One whole side of his house was engulfed in flames. Thatcher didn’t even have time to call 911 before he fled with his wife and two dogs.

Now, Thatcher’s home is ruined. He said insurance will replace it, but his pride and joy in the side yard is another story.

“Well, you can tell it was a really cool car…but now it’s not that cool,” said Thatcher.

What used to be a shiny black 1950 Chevrolet Fleetline Deluxe is now a charred metal shell. Thatcher was being pragmatic about its loss, it is something that he can never get back.

“You can rebuild this house, but you can’t rebuild this car,” said Thatcher’s nephew, Orlando Caburnay. “And this car meant a lot. It had a lot of sentimental value–to a lot of people.”

Thatcher used to lend it to family and friends for weddings. And just the day before, he had taken it to show his neighbor Al Mason–who summed up the feeling in the neighborhood.

“I think this was his passion. So, I really feel for Paul,” he said. “Just so needless. So irresponsible. What can you say?”

All over the Bay Area, the sky was being lit up with commercial-grade pyrotechnics.

Steve Hill, spokesperson for the Contra Costa Fire Protection District, said they responded to more than 60 fires–a normal month’s worth–in just 6 hours’ time.

“It is clear that there are more commercial-grade fireworks than there have been over recent years that are available out there in the communities,” said Hill. “We’ve been warning for years, certainly for weeks of what likely would happen if they were used, and it was proven out last night.”

There was another victim in last night’s fire. Vikki Mesa’s house is next door and sustained considerable damage.

In the commotion, her beloved dog Gracie ran away. They searched for her, but later Wednesday morning, Mesa got a call.

“She’d been hit by a car…we lost her. And you know, I don’t care about the house, I don’t care about the car, I don’t care about any of that. I just want my dog,” said Mesa, choked with tears.

Hill said the vast majority of people obey the fireworks ban. But with more than a million people in Contra Costa County, even the small percentage of fireworks users can have a devastating impact.

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