The California Highway Patrol’s Golden Gate Division Headquarters located at 1551 Benicia Road had to be evacuated when an electrical fire broke out in the building’s dispatch center at approximately 9:15 p.m. Sunday, October 28.
Firefighters from Benicia and Vallejo quickly controlled the fire. At least one dispatcher required medical attention.
“We’re going to evacuate the smoke and make sure the fire is out,” said Vallejo Battalion Chief Pat Dunn as firefighters set up large fans near a doorway in the building.
Calls that would normally go to the Benicia Road dispatch center were immediately rerouted to the City of Vallejo dispatch center, and the Sacramento CHP dispatch center. “We have protocols in place,” said Sgt. Steve Barruel who works out of the Martinez CHP office.
Barruel did not have an estimate on how long the dispatch center would be out of commission. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Dispatchers were gathered in the parking lot of St. Vincent-St. Patrick High School which is directly across the street from the CHP building.
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