Police in Mountain View have made a dramatic arrest after a vacant building was left unattended by its residents, who had been living there and sparking a fire. The 16-year-old girl and the 58-year-old man were taken into custody on Thursday morning for their roles in starting the blaze. However, police say it wasn't just an accident - they found multiple extension cords and propane tanks inside the building, creating a significant fire hazard.
The residents had allegedly been living in the vacant building at North Shoreline Boulevard despite being deemed uninhabitable by local authorities. When firefighters responded to a report of smoke coming from the building, they found a Duraflame log alight on the floor, with small flames shooting up. The situation was further complicated when police discovered that one of the transients had been tapping into the power supply at a nearby AT&T utility box, creating an electricity hazard.
Police took swift action, speaking to neighboring business owners and red-tagging the building due to its "extreme" safety risks. As authorities worked to extinguish the flames, they made the arrests of two individuals who would face charges for their roles in starting the fire. The incident highlights concerns about the city's vacant buildings and those living in them without proper permits or oversight.
The building had been deemed unsafe by local inspectors, but it appears that residents were able to disregard these warnings. Police are now urging residents and business owners in the area to take steps to report any suspicious activity and ensure public safety.
The residents had allegedly been living in the vacant building at North Shoreline Boulevard despite being deemed uninhabitable by local authorities. When firefighters responded to a report of smoke coming from the building, they found a Duraflame log alight on the floor, with small flames shooting up. The situation was further complicated when police discovered that one of the transients had been tapping into the power supply at a nearby AT&T utility box, creating an electricity hazard.
Police took swift action, speaking to neighboring business owners and red-tagging the building due to its "extreme" safety risks. As authorities worked to extinguish the flames, they made the arrests of two individuals who would face charges for their roles in starting the fire. The incident highlights concerns about the city's vacant buildings and those living in them without proper permits or oversight.
The building had been deemed unsafe by local inspectors, but it appears that residents were able to disregard these warnings. Police are now urging residents and business owners in the area to take steps to report any suspicious activity and ensure public safety.
! It's just crazy how people can ignore the warning signs and put themselves and others at risk. I mean, who tries to live in a building that's been deemed uninhabitable? It's like they're trying to be the ultimate DIY challenge experts 
. And to think that one of them was even tapping into the power supply from an AT&T box... talk about reckless! 
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We should always be mindful of safety precautions when it comes to our homes and communities. Let's all just be more aware and take care of each other, okay? 
it's crazy how they could be so reckless! I mean, i get that sometimes ppl need a place to stay but not at the cost of their own safety & the safety of others. And what's even more mind-blowing is that they were tapping into the power supply from a nearby utility box lol what were they thinking?! 
It's crazy that people would think they can just move into an uninhabitable building without anyone noticing or caring! Like, what's wrong with following the rules and getting permission? 
The fact that these two got caught with extension cords and propane tanks just waiting to ignite is just wild... 
How many times have we seen this story play out before? It's like, people need to take responsibility for their actions (or lack thereof)... 
And what really gets me is the power of community - I hope all those business owners who spoke up can help raise awareness about these issues so it doesn't happen again... 
And it's not like it's some isolated incident either - there gotta be more cases like this all over the city where people are taking advantage of vacant buildings. It's a recipe for disaster! 
We need better oversight and enforcement, especially when it comes to fire safety. 
We need more oversight, more support for our homeless population, and more accountability for those who disregard the law.
. The moral here is that responsibility comes with freedom - we gotta be accountable for our actions and take care of ourselves, too 
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literally! The fact that one of them was tapping into the power supply 
. I'm so glad the police took action ASAP and made those arrests 
. We need to make sure we're reporting any suspicious activity and keeping an eye out for one another 
. It's not worth the risk 
. Let's all do our part to stay safe and report anything weird or concerning 
It's a clear case of someone disregarding warnings and putting themselves and others in harm's way. I'm just glad that no one was seriously hurt, but it's still super concerning.