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Arcata fire update: Scary videos from Hensel’s Hardware emerge; multiple buildings involved
A fast-moving blaze tore through the heart of downtown Arcata on Friday, engulfing several structures
A fast-moving blaze tore through the heart of downtown Arcata on Friday, engulfing several structures and triggering a large emergency response. The fire reportedly originated in the Hensel’s Hardware area near Tenth Street between H and I streets, where thick smoke and flames were visible from blocks away. Locals and witnesses posted videos on social media.
As per reports, traffic was immediately shut down in all directions around 9th and I streets as firefighters worked to contain the spread. Lost Coast Outpost’s Ryan Burns reported from the scene, where scanner chatter indicated that four two-story buildings were involved.
What have authorities said?
Humboldt Bay Fire said that it is on the scene of a large commercial structure fire on H and 10th street in Arcata. “Please avoid the area.”
Residents in nearby apartments were ordered to evacuate as conditions worsened, and the Red Cross was activated at 3:25 PM local time to support those displaced. Mutual-aid engines from Rio Dell and other departments were called in to provide additional coverage while local crews concentrated on suppression efforts.
Witnesses documented the dramatic early moments of the fire, with Laura Keenados capturing video of towering flames and Josh Buck filming from near Wildberries.
“There is a huge fire, complete with explosions, in the center of Arcata,” one local posted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
“Another horrendous fire in Arcata! We saw smoke coming from somewhere across the freeway and looked on line and found the photos posted by my friends. I asked my old boss Van Shields about it because he and Peggy have an art studio in the building. “It’s all gone,” is what he said,” another social media user added.
Update: This just came in as our power went out: “PG&E: Investigating potential outage near C St, . More info to follow soon. Manage alerts
Scanner traffic indicated that there are mandatory evacuations in the area. The owner of Dandar’s Boardgames and Books told Ryan Burns that his business is a 'total loss' after the fire.
Where is Arcata?
Arcata is a small city in Humboldt County, Northern California. It sits on the Pacific coast along Humboldt Bay, just north of Eureka and about 280 miles (450 km) north of San Francisco.
