ANTIOCH (BCN) — Workers constructing the BART extension into Antioch accidentally sparked a grass fire this afternoon that burned roughly 7 acres of vegetation.
Fire crews responded shortly after 1 p.m. to a report of a fire near state Highway 4, according to a dispatcher with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
Firefighters located the blaze near Sunset Drive and Hillcrest Avenue, which is slightly north of Highway 4, Fire Inspector Lisa Martinez said.
Martinez said workers grinding metal railings or other equipment sparked the blaze. There were fire extinguishers and employees designated to spot fires on site, she said.
“It looks like they were using safe practices for welding and grinding work,” Martinez said. “They attempted to extinguish it themselves but then they called it in to us.”
Fire crews were able to extinguish the fire by around 2:30 p.m., but not before the blaze had burned 7 acres of grass.
No injuries were reported and no structures were damaged.
Although work at the site was halted while firefighters battled the blaze, Martinez said the fire did not damage the new construction.