13-year-old Hayward girl saves family, neighbors from fire
SAN JOSE, Calif. - A 13-year-old Hayward girl is credited with saving her family's home and likely those of her neighbors thanks to her insomnia and quick thinking early Sunday morning.
"I was going to bed, and I was kind of rolling around. And I heard the clanking of metal and a bunch of pops. Something told me to go and look out my window," Allysa Tran said.
Allysa saw flames reaching 20 feet high, torching treetops, and threatening rooftops near the Grand Terrace complex. She was the first to scream for help, awakening family and neighbors who scrambled to escape the blaze threatening the 235-unit complex.
"She could have just hid under the covers and waited for the storm to pass. But she took it on, and that just shows how courageous and brave she is," her father, Thao Tran said.
Fire officials traced the fire's origin to the opposite side of a sound wall separating townhomes in the complex from Union Pacific and BART train tracks.
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22-year-old brother killed, 2 cousins injured in San Pablo fire
A 22-year-old man was killed, and his young cousin and brother were seriously injured when their apartment unit in San Pablo caught fire early Sunday morning, Contra Costa Fire officials reported.
Throughout most of Wednesday, crews were clearing debris from at least one homeless encampment, which fire officials identified as the starting point of the blaze.
"Since roughly about 2018 we have noticed an uptick in the encampment and how it has grown," said Rich Brunkel, president of the Grand Terrace Owners Association.
Brunkel said he sent a letter to the city six years ago, warning that the area was a "fire danger due to the high weeds and dead grass. I'm sure I don't need to remind you this is fire season."
He said it's been a growing concern since then.
"The railroad never responds to anything, and the city generally will take a stance and says things like, 'that is private property, 'we're not allowed to go back there.' We've called police on occasion. They refuse to go back there," he said.
City officials said that they have been communicating with Union Pacific.
"We are and have been in active discussions with Union Pacific on an agreement that would allow us to respond more quickly and effectively to encampments on railroad property and to prevent these kinds of incidents," city officials said.
The Tran family and their neighbors can rest more peacefully knowing their first line of defense has keen ears and a calm composure in the face of danger.
Allysa said, "He (her father) always taught me to be aware and go alert him when anything happens."
Union Pacific has previously stated it cooperates with cities to address homeless encampments on its properties.
The fire did not cause any structural damage to the townhomes.