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A 35-year-old Cessna 152 single engine airplane caught fire Saturday at the Livermore Municipal Airport, causing extensive damage before firefighters from the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department could extinguish the blaze.

Joe Testa, Battalion Chief, said fire crews responded within minutes of a call for help from a pilot, who said the fire started while he was in the process of turning on the engine. The pilot made it out of the plane safely was firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, which was confined to the plane's engine.

Testa said the cause of the fire appeared to be related to the battery and was not suspicious in nature. The pilot on scene believed that the repair expense may be cost prohibitive, making the fire a total loss for the airplane.

The plane, which was parked on the airport tarmac near the control tower, is owned by the owned by the Flying Particles flying club.



The picture included with this press release shows Firefighter Ed White (right) and Engineer John
Hatges (left) performing overhaul after the fire was extinguished.

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