Antioch: 5-Alarm Fire Started from Cigarette Destroys Home, Marijuana Grow Located

A five-alarm fire broke out in Antioch that destroyed one home and threatened a dozen other homes along the 900 block of Burwood Way.

The fire was first reported around 4:35 pm Saturday with at least two Antioch engines out of the District battling a fire in the City of Brentwood. Those units were quickly released to respond.

However, by the time they got there, the fire had destroyed a home and was in the backyards of several other homes. Two homes were also damaged by the fire further down Burwood, but firefighters were able to save them after a third-alarm response was requested.

With limited resources available due to a single-alarm fire in Brentwood aid from East Contra Costa Fire Fire was unavailable who would normally be the closest units, CONFIRE sent units from Walnut Creek, Pacheco along with breathing support from Richmond.

CALFIRE was also limited due to a fire they were battling between Livermore and Tracy which burned 211 acres according to the CALFIRE Website.

Although it was technically not listed as a 5-alarm fire, Contra Costa County Fire stated it was a 5-alarm response due to three-alarm on the homes and 2-alarms on the vegetation fires which kept jumping the canal and threatening additional homes.

The cause of the fire was listed as accidental after someone did not put out their cigarette.

Antioch Police Locate Marijuana Grow
During the fire, Antioch Police located a home which had a marijuana grow.

The grow was unrelated to the cause of the fire, but instead was discovered as police and firefighters were going home to home to evacuate residents.

Police have not yet provided details, but did detain at least two subjects on Burwood according to residents.