Though no official evacuation order has been given, a Red Cross emergency shelter for earthquake-related evacuations has established at Crosswalk Community Church in Napa, according to the county Sheriff’s Office.
The church is located at 2590 First St.
Napa city officials said there is “relative calm in the community” following a 6.1-magnitude earthquake that struck near American Canyon early this morning.
Dozens of people were injured in the 3:20 a.m. quake, including a child who was critically injured when pieces of a fireplace fell at a home. The child has been airlifted to a trauma center for treatment of the injuries, Napa fire Battalion Chief John Callanan said.
The quake sparked fires in six different areas around the city, including one that destroyed or damaged six mobile homes, Callanan said.
Much of the downtown area is blocked off this morning after several buildings were damaged, he said.
“We want to keep people away from the buildings that are obviously damaged,” he said.
Some of the historic buildings damaged include the Napa County Courthouse and the Goodman Library.
Napa police Capt. Steve Potter said authorities have already received donations, including lumber to help board up broken windows.
Potter cited the “relative calm” among the residents of Napa and said that the city’s 911 system was able to handle the number of calls it received, although it briefly “maxed out.”
City Manager Mike Parness said the city declared a local state of emergency at 7:59 a.m.—Gov. Jerry Brown issued his own state of emergency later this morning—and said all of the city’s available workforce are at hand today to assess damage and provide services to the community.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
