Small Fire Breaks Out Near 40-Acre Pittsburg Brush Fire That Injured Firefighter
PITTSBURG (CBS SF) -- Firefighters in Pittsburg quickly put out a small grass fire Friday morning at the site of a three-alarm brush fire that burned 40 acres and sent a firefighter to the hospital Thursday evening and remained at the scene to watch for flare-ups, a fire captain said.
Crews doused the small fire that broke out around 9:30 a.m. in the center of a grassy area near the intersection of West 10th Street and Willow Pass Road.
The same area burned Thursday when a fire was reported in the grassy area around 3:15 p.m. and grew to three alarms by that evening.
One firefighter suffered smoke inhalation while fighting the blaze and was taken to a hospital, where he remained as of Friday afternoon. No other injuries were reported.
Firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading to the nearby NRG Energy, Inc. natural gas power plant, and no structures were damaged.
Firefighters got the blaze under control by 7 p.m. and crews remained on the scene mopping up hot spots until 11 p.m., according to Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Capt. Robert Marshall.
Fire personnel returned throughout the night to monitor the area for possible flare-ups.
Marshall said a layer of duff, a flammable material composed of dead plants at the scene of the fire, makes ongoing flare-ups over the next few days likely.
He said fire crews and personnel at the power plant are monitoring the area for new fires.
Fire investigators are looking into whether human activity caused the blaze, either by accident or intentionally. However, Marshall said, a cause has yet to be determined.
