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Fairfield park playground goes up in flames after neighbors called 911 reporting homeless encampment fires

Fairfield playground goes up in flames, residents call for action
Fairfield playground goes up in flames, residents call for action 02:49

FAIRFIELD -- A playground caught fire and was destroyed over the weekend in Fairfield's state streets neighborhood along the Linear Park Trail. 

It happened around 2 a.m. on Saturday when, the Fairfield Fire Department confirmed, a fire ruined the playset, resulting in around $500,000 in damage. 

"We get frequent fire calls on the entire length of the Linear trail," a spokesperson for the fire department told CBS13, adding that many of those fires are "warming fires" and they see homeless encampments all throughout the trail. 

Longtime neighbors who live near the park at 5th and Utah streets say nightly fires set by the unhoused in the park are most likely to blame for the playground catching fire. 

"It's pretty consistent. Around this time, when it's weather like this, cold, they're trying to figure out how to get warm. The only way is starting fires, everywhere," said neighbor Roberto Gutierrez, who has lived there for 24 years. 

Gutierrez said that within the past year, the issues in the park and subsequent crime were the worst it has ever been in his time living there. 

"I'm sad they did this to our park. This is a great community, great pathway. I bring the kids here. My daughters, I've got four daughters we come here," neighbor Ulandis Bursey said. 

Several neighbors tell CBS13 they called Fairfield Police recently to alert them to the routine fires in the park. One neighbor, who asked to only be identified as Kim, feared this would happen. It's why she and her husband have called 911 multiple times. 

"They took down the report, but there wasn't an urgency. This was just one or two days prior to this incident," Kim said. 

"Were you worried it would get to this point?" I asked. 

"Yes, definitely. The homes are right up against the park. The trees are big and against the backyards. This could easily go into a person's backyard," Kim responded. 

The Fairfield Police Department confirmed to CBS13 that it received reports of the fire in Linear Park and is working with the fire department to investigate the cause. 

"At this time, the cause of the fire is considered suspicious but remains undetermined... We did receive a similar fire call reported by neighbors in the Gateway area, not the same location as the playground equipment fire," a Fairfield police spokesperson said. "Officers did make contact with a person in the area of Gateway. No correlations at this time." 

Fairfield Mayor Catherine Moy said this is not an isolated problem but one impacting much of Solano County. 

"We have been arresting transients for arson because of the ongoing problems. It is illegal for them to camp in parks and we are enforcing that as well," Moy said. "Most cities in Solano County and throughout the Bay Area struggle with fires. Last week, our chief caught a guy from Oakland starting a fire. We had caught the same transient just the day before starting a fire. It's maddening and dangerous." 

Kim said that efforts by the city to clear the unhoused from Linear Park have not been successful. 

"The city comes through a couple times a week, asks them to move, they move for a few days and come back," Kim added. 

Signs from the city are posted in the park stating that camping, starting fires and being at the playground as an adult without a child are not allowed. Neighbors told me they want to see more action taken. 

"Patrolling more often and actually removing [the homeless] from the area," Kim said of what she would like to see done. 

"I think they should have cameras there," Bursey said. 

"Do something. It's really sad. It's really, really sad," Gutierrez said. 

The Fairfield Police Department encourages anyone with camera footage, additional information or observations related to this incident to contact dispatch on their non-emergency number, 707-428-7300.

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