VIDEO: Three homes were destroyed in a fire on Bethel Island in East Contra Costa County Thursday evening. Firefighters said two homes on the 1200 block of Taylor Road burned to the ground. A third was still standing but was considered a complete loss. No one was injured.
Firefighters said it took between 12 and 15 minutes to reach the fire because there is no fire station on Bethel Island. “Due to budget cuts, this station was closed on this island among other stations in our district,” said East Contra Costa fire battalion chief Ross MacCumber. Once firefighters arrived at the scene, there were more obstacles.
One neighbor said there are no fire hydrants on the island, except a handful on the main street. Firefighters used a hose strung across the nearby levee to access water from the river.