Shop, tools lost to fire

Fire ravaged an Orland man's private workshop this week, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.

No one was hurt in the Monday blaze and Orland Fire Chief Jerry Kraemer said a quick response from fire fighters prevented the blaze from spreading into the home.

Chuck Cooper, 69, sat in his motorized wheelchair, which he only uses occasionally, and watched as firefighters from Orland and Capay knocked down the smoky blaze that blew a giant cloud of black smoke into the sky that could be seen from Willows nearly 20 miles away.

Cooper said he had "no idea" how the fire could have started.

"I had just gone down to the store for some paint," Cooper said. "I was only gone about 20 minutes, and when I got back, my shop was in flames."

Neighbors reported hearing dozens of small explosions just after 10 a.m. from Cooper's burning shop in the 4000 block of County Road E, about three miles west of Orland.

"It sounded like a bunch of bullets," said Margaret Jones, Cooper's next door neighbor. "I saw the smoke and first thought he was just burning stuff, but then I said 'that's a lot of black smoke' and called the cops."

No firearms were in the workshop, Cooper said. However, several small propane tanks did explode.

Cooper's shop was reportedly packed with dozens of half-used paint cans, vehicle tires and hundreds of pounds of baled hay, which continued to smolder for several hours after firefighters knocked down the fast moving flames.

Kraemer put the early damage estimate at least $40,000, but said that total is likely to increase as investigators determine the exact number of tools, equipment and machinery lost in the blaze.

The Glenn County Arson Task Force was called in to investigate the cause and origin of the flames, but Kraemer said authorities "are leaning towards believing it was an accident."

Though arson has not been ruled out, Kraemer acknowledged.

"The (task force) is used to investigate any fire where there is significant loss," Kraemer said.

Cooper and his wife, Roberta, have lived at that location for nearly 30 years, he said.

Roberta Cooper was not home when the flames broke out, her husband said.

"Glad it didn't get into the house too much," Cooper said. "We'll probably stay here tonight, but if not, then we have a motor home we can use too."

Contact Rob Parsons at 934-6800 or rparsons@tcnpress.com.