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Fire at the Tustin blimp hangers

Desert Whaler

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My Dad worked for years directly across the street on Redhill . . . he said some days there would be clouds 'inside' the hangers.
 

Shlbyntro

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I'd like 100ft of the timber to build planter boxes😁
I think it would be cool to have some burnt up lumber with the history.
Charred a bit. Throw a few layers of resin on them.

I know where there is a 34ft SeaRay that's entire interior was built with Teak wood off the deck of the USS Iowa (BB-61). It needs a lot of work mechanically but the guy would likely give it away to anybody who wanted it.
 
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timstoy

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What city employee would of started the fire if it is Arson? City manager? Whose pocket book would be affected the most as a employee?


I could see if it was privately owned and city was not allowing demo.
Follow the money! WHO benefits the most from this fire!
 

RaceTec

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Such a bummer, killer structures. Last time I was in them was years ago for the Tustin Thunder races, it was awesome...
 

throttle

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IMG_3692.png
 

Deckin Around

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All that time when it was in use and it never burned. Now all of a sudden.
FYI They've been closed and unused for 25 years. That one was already damaged 10 years ago.

North Hangar​

The north hangar (Hangar 1), located near Valencia Avenue and Armstrong Road, is currently owned by the Department of the Navy. The building sustained roof damage in October 2013 during a windstorm. The Department of the Navy has stabilized the roof, but the building remains closed.
 

C_J_J_C

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What city employee would of started the fire if it is Arson? City manager? Whose pocket book would be affected the most as a employee?


I could see if it was privately owned and city was not allowing demo.

I don't think someone lit a match. I think it is more likely it was just not prevented.

They have known homeless, high school kids, "youtube explorers," ect were getting in for years. If you just stop fixing the fence as often or just stop having the PD or public works check the property. It was just a matter of time.
 

twocents

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A little known (and long forgotten) fact about the Tustin hangars and boating. It was in 2003 and 2004 and the Southern Californnia Marine Association (SCMA) was interested in finding optional locations for the annual Orange County Boat Show (the Anaheim Convention Center was playing hardball on available dates, rental cost and parking). I always thought that one (or maybe both) of the Tustin hangars would make a great place to have the show. After talking to the Tustin City Manager, he seemed open to the idea and gave us a tour of what was on-site. Probably the easiest and most convenient venue for a boat show ever. All we needed was a bunch of portable toilets, some back-up generators for additional power and more interior lighting. The deal was moving along nicely until the City Manager thought maybe the Navy should at least know what was in the works. That was the deal breaker. The Navy squashed the plan in no uncertain terms -- thought the Navy liked boats!
 

Hydroman55

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Developers are already making politicians palms green.
 

dirtslinger2

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I know where there is a 34ft SeaRay that's entire interior was built with Teak wood off the deck of the USS Iowa (BB-61). It needs a lot of work mechanically but the guy would likely give it away to anybody who wanted it.
Intriqued, any pictures or contact info? Or I guess I should start with location
 

Shlbyntro

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Intriqued, any pictures or contact info? Or I guess I should start with location

Austin TX. it's a mid 80s 34 Sundancer, so one of the boxey ones with the wide beam. my understanding is that it was built this way as a limited production run with the decking material that came off Iowa during the Reagan refit.

I'd describe it as good bones but expect to have to do everything to it. probably looking at a complete repower
 

dirtslinger2

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Austin TX. it's a mid 80s 34 Sundancer, so one of the boxey ones with the wide beam. my understanding is that it was built this way as a limited production run with the decking material that came off Iowa during the Reagan refit.

I'd describe it as good bones but expect to have to do everything to it. probably looking at a complete repower
waay to far away.
 

C_J_J_C

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Let the politics begin.
Screenshot_20231109_091726_Instagram.jpg


Not the day of the fire, not the day after the fire, but day three my kids school (5 Miles away) is closed for 1% asbestos in the air....BS. and tustin is calling for the Navy to deploy hazmat for an immediate clean up.
 

OCMerrill

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All that time when it was in use and it never burned. Now all of a sudden.
Could it be....thats because Tustin would love to develop the entire property and not care for the Blimp Hangers that the Navy doesn't even visit?

There are high density apartments within yards with hydrants but somehow the FD had no water. So the entire structure was just a loss.

The Navy says no the cleaning the mess up so now its an even bigger problem that will likely sit until someone gives in.

I wonder if the AQMD will fine the Navy for all the asbestos released into the air? You better believe they would fine me if it was my structure.
 
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Rvrluvr

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Loooooooong time ago (mid 90’s) i hauled 5 loads of sand in there everyday for 3 weeks. It was a special sand out of corona called gas sand. It has NO rock in it (pure fine fluffy sand) and was used on construction sites to backfill gas pipe underground. Its battleship gray in color. If you see construction sites around so cal chances are you see this really off color gray sand….thats the stuff

Anyway, I houled it inside the blimp hangar for 3 weeks straight. They used it to mimic the moon in the movie Apollo 13 with Tom Hanks. The seen where he dreams of walking on the moon? Thats my sand in that hangar. I never got pictures sad to say…cell phones weren't existent fir the common man yet. Place was huge!! I’ll never forget doing that job 👍
 

Taboma

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Could it be....thats because Tustin would love to develop the entire property and not care for the Blimp Hangers that the Navy doesn't even visit?

There are high density apartments within yards with hydrants but somehow the FD had no water. So the entire structure was just a loss.

The Navy says no the cleaning the mess up so now its an even bigger problem that will likely sit until someone gives in.

I wonder if the AQMD will fine the Navy for all the asbestos released into the air? You better believe they would fine me if it was my structure.
Area Tustin Unified schools were closed Thursday, Friday and Veterans Parade cancelled for Saturday due to them having found Asbestos in the debris. Now conducting area testing for air quality. The clean up could be extremely costly.
 

OCMerrill

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Just heard on the news the Navy just approved a Million bucks to assist in community clean-up. This does not include the burned out structure so well see what develops there .
 
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