LAKEPORT >> A modest fire broke out about noon Thursday in Lakeport as a group taking lunch in the picnic area of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce reported seeing smoke on the hill between the Chamber and the Lake County Agriculture Department.
Laura McAndrews Sammel, Chamber CEO was at the Chamber building at the time.
McAndrews Sammel attested that a few of the visitors said they saw a man walking away from the fire,
“I immediately called 911 to report all this,” she said. “I requested fire protection to extinguish the fire and law enforcement to contend with an alleged arsonist. I could hear sirens before I hung up.”
Consistent with a Lakeport Police Department alert a quarter of an acre was burned, McAndrews Sammel confirmed.
Fire District units from Lakeport, North Shore and Kelseyville all responded to the scene. The fire was extinguished within one half hour, McAndrews recalled. Both Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Lake County Police Departments arrived on scene to deal with the alleged arsonist. Law enforcement staff detained the person witnessed departing the scene of the fire.
An investigation begun immediately after produced evidence that this person was suspected of setting the fire, maintained McAndrews Sammel. Subsequent investigation revealed the person of interest to be Cameron Bates, a resident of Clearlake.
Bates was arrested by law enforcement and charged with arson of wildfire, possession of controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of stolen property, McAndrews Sammel reported.
“Our first responders were fast, efficient and professional,” she said. “As a result, the staff and visitors at the Lake County Chamber of Commerce are all safe and grateful.”
Inquiries emailed to the Lake County Fire Department were not answered by press deadline.
