Contra Costa College Art Building damaged, fenced off after weekend fire

This story was updated August 31, 12:25 p.m.

A fire on the Contra Costa College campus Saturday damaged one building and, according to authorities, was intentionally set.

The blaze brought fire crews from Richmond, San Pablo and El Cerrito to the campus at 2600 Mission Bell Drive in San Pablo, who were able to quickly bring the fire under control.

Campus Police Services Officer Jose Olivera said he believed the blaze was started on the balcony outside room 6A at the Art Building on Saturday afternoon, causing significant damage to that classroom, a nearby office, and the atrium.

"The fire was intentionally set. That office is gone, the classroom is pretty damaged, and one other classroom in the front looked bad," Olivera told Grandview Independent.

Olivera said other classrooms didn't appear to have much damage, and no injuries were reported.

On Sunday morning, workers had already begun fencing off the area around the building and its parking lot. Outside room 6A, known to many as the figure drawing and painting studio, plywood covered an opening in the back wall, with smoke marks visible around it. Damage was also visible through the building's front entrance.

Students and staff were sent notifications on Saturday through the Contra Costa Community College District mass notification system alerting them to the fire and damage to the building.

"This afternoon, a fire broke out in the CCC Art Building," the alert read. "There were no injuries, and no other buildings were affected, but damage is significant."

The College District told Grandview on Monday that the cause of the fire is currently under investigation. "Our Police Services department is working in partnership with the San Pablo Police Department and the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District on that," said Jennifer Ortega, Director of Communications and Community Relations.

Ortega said that seven sections of classes have been impacted by the fire and five are being moved to other spaces on campus. "Our team is still in the process of trying to relocate two ceramics courses," Ortega said.