Benicia fire official says port blaze appears to be unintentional
(Photo courtesy City of Benicia, Graphic by Solano NewsNet)
A massive fire that damaged the Port of Benicia last weekend appears to have started unintentionally, a fire official said on Tuesday.
In a statement released by the City of Benicia, Fire Chief Josh Chadwick said the cause of the fire is still being determined, but a preliminary investigation has thus far ruled out foul play.
“While the fire investigation is still open and ongoing, preliminary findings indicate that the origin of the fire was on or near the lower portion of the coke conveyor belt system near the base of the silos,” Chadwick said.
“The fire appears to be unintentional in nature,” the fire chief affirmed. “Electrical and mechanical causes have not yet been ruled out.”
The four-alarm fire took out a conveyor belt used by Valero, an energy company with a refinery in Benicia. On Monday, city officials said Valero and another company were in the process of submitting reports that could allow non-damaged portions of the pier to re-open for use.
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