170
C a l i f o r n i a ’ s O l d e s t N e w s pa p e r – E s t. 18 51
th
Volume 170 • Issue 43 | 75¢
mtdemocrat.com
Monday, April 12, 2021
Transient’s candle reportedly sparks fire 4 Pizza Factory workers jump to action
n
Thomas Frey Staff writer About 45 minutes after the Pizza Factory on Broadway in Placerville closed Wednesday night, four employees were getting ready to leave when they realized a neighboring business was on fire. “I was in my car about to leave and Jake came up to me, knocked on my window and asked for a water bottle because he said there was
a fire at Wells building and Fargo,” said Kara caught fire.” Pearston, who DePee and worked the last Pearston said shift at Pizza they poked holes Factory that in the top of their night with Jake water bottles Cassady, Sydney in an attempt McTavish and to tame the fire Nathan DePee. while Cassady When the four and McTavish Doris Askeland dashed over to called authorities. the bank on the Within minutes 50-degree night with water the first fire truck arrived. bottles in-hand they found “It was inside the walls 72-year-old transient Doris and outside the walls weren’t Askeland. even affected,” DePee said. “She said she lit a candle Fire crews quickly pried to stay warm or something open the walls, exposing the like that,” DePee said, “and flames so they could put out then it slid underneath the n See fire, page 8
Courtesy photo
Emergency crews respond to a Wednesday night fire inside the walls of the Wells Fargo building on Broadway in Placerville. The fire was reportedly started by a transient woman with a candle.
Mountain Democrat photo by Dawn Hodson
New Beginnings volunteers load up city of Placerville dump trucks with garbage left by people living in a homeless camp on upper Broadway in Placerville.
Photo courtesy of California Highway Patrol
The driver of this Toyota 4-Runner apparently didn’t have time to stop as a rock slide came down Echo Summit and onto Highway 50 Friday morning.
Rock slide comes down at Echo Summit, closes Highway 50 Mountain Democrat staff Boulders came crashing down on Echo Summit Friday morning, landing on Highway 50 and blocking west and eastbound lanes. The driver of a Toyota 4-Runner traveling on the roadway just before the rock slide occurred at about 5:45 a.m. crashed into the boulders but was not injured, according to reports from the California Highway Patrol’s South Lake Tahoe office. By mid-morning Caltrans District 3 officials reported work had begun to remove the boulders and clear the roadway to open at least one lane to traffic that afternoon. Traffic was being turned around at Sierra at Tahoe Road. Motorists bound for Tahoe were advised to get off Highway 50 at Sly Park Road and consider detours via Highway 49 or Highway 88.
Photo courtesy of Caltrans District 3
Caltrans workers begin to remove boulders strewn across the roadway.
Volunteers go to work in homeless camp clean-up Dawn Hodson Staff writer Volunteers with New Beginnings Gold Country returned to upper Broadway in Placerville Wednesday morning to clean up garbage left by the homeless who live in encampments on the nearby hillside. Not the first time they have tackled the job, organizers with the nonprofit are seeking a solution to mitigate the accumulation of trash since placing a dumpster at the site hasn’t been as effective as hoped. One idea — hire an occupant of the camp to see that the dumpster is used. Last week’s clean-up was a joint effort of New Beginnings with support from Doug Veerkamp General Engineering, the city of Placerville and Aborn Powers Inc. A team of eight to 10 volunteers removed piles of garbage that spilled from halfway up the hill down to the road — filling at least five dump trucks. n
See Homeless clean-up, page 10
Burst pipe knocks out water in downtown Placerville Dawn Hodson Staff writer
Placerville Public Works along with Doug Veerkamp General Engineering crews work to repair a 12-inch water main break at the intersection of Pacific and Benham streets in downtown Placerville Thursday.
A split in a 12-inch steel pipe left some Placerville residents out of water Thursday afternoon. Located at the intersection of Pacific and Benham streets, the pipe split along its ridge, spilling water down the gutters as a city Public Works crew and Doug Veerkamp General Engineering hurried to shut off the water while they determined what had happened and made repairs. City officials said while the existing pipe is being replaced the rest of the main appeared to be in good condition. Customers in downtown Placerville were without water while repairs were made. Residents were advised that if they experience a slight discoloration or air/turbidity in the water, to allow one outside tap to run until the water is clear before drinking it or using appliances that need water to operate.
Photo courtesy of the city of Placerville
ASSISTED LIVING • MEMORY CARE • WELLNESS SERVICES
NOW OPEN!
(530) 313-0364
Where quality of life is our goal and seniors our passion
Call Now to r u Schedule a To
4210 PRODUCT DRIVE, CAMERON PARK www.blissfulgardenscare.com
Call (530) 344-5000 for convenient home delivery and free online access to www.mtdemocrat.com