CALIFORNIA CITY, Calif. (KERO) — Important city documents dating back over 30 years and two vehicles were destroyed in a fire at the California City yard Wednesday night, according to Mayor Marquette Hawkins.
The fire, which started around 7 p.m., completely destroyed a main structure that housed contracts, maps, grants, several offices and newly moved equipment.
"I was in shock. Sinking feeling in my stomach, knowing how important that building is to the city, the documents that are in there, the office space that's being used there. The equipment that was just moved there to be safe and protected and here we are with things going up in flames," Hawkins said.
While there is no official estimate of damages yet, the mayor indicated the costs would be substantial.
"It's gonna be in the tens of thousands, maybe even more," Hawkins said.
The fire has also impacted city services. Dial-A-Ride buses were damaged in the blaze and will be out of service indefinitely, according to the mayor.
Arson investigators were expected to examine the scene Thursday. City employees declined to be interviewed, and California City Fire Department staff were unavailable for comment.
The mayor, who discovered the fire while driving along California City Boulevard when he noticed police cars heading toward the city yard, expressed doubt about salvaging much from the scene.
"We're going to assess what's there to see if there's anything that we can salvage. From the looks of it, it was pretty bad. So, I doubt it. We just have to pick up the pieces and move on from there," Hawkins said.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
