Homes, Cars Burning In 2-Alarm Blaze In Martinez Wednesday

Kids playing with fire in the backyard of a home on Arthur Road touched off a 2-alarm blaze that raced through a small housing development in Martinez Wednesday – destroying one home, multiple cars and adjacent fields.

Three youths were briefly detained before they were released to the custody of their parents.

The fire was reported at 1:49 p.m. with fire crews on the scene carefully working around electrical towers and fallen power lines.

A dozen homes in the 100 block of Cambark Court were threatened and one burned, with one family displaced. Firefighters and sheriff’s deputies were also cautiously watching a second home – reportedly with fireworks inside.

Firefighters gained the upper hand on the fire at approximately 3:12 p.m., and began extensive overhaul and mop-up operations.