Small Plane Catches Fire at Hayward Airport

Bay City News — A small plane caught fire inside a hangar at the Hayward Executive Airport on Sunday night, a fire official said.

An airport security guard called Hayward firefighters when he saw a maintenance worker pushing the smoking plane out of the hangar at about 10:55 p.m., Hayward fire Capt. Thor Poulsen said.

A mechanic had been working on the 1972 Cessna 172N when it caught fire, Poulsen.

The mechanic attempted to put out the flames out with a fire extinguisher and when that did not work, he pushed the plane out of the hangar, Poulsen said.

Firefighters had the fire out in about 10 minutes. The plane, which was in a hangar occupied by Five Rivers Aviation, was damaged beyond repair, Poulsen said.

He said it was worth between $40,000 and 50,000. There were no injuries, but the hangar sustained minor smoke and heat damage, Poulsen said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.