BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 A small Bakersfield business is facing an $8,500 bill to remove a tree that has stood at the corner of 21st and ‘E’ streets for decades after a fire damaged it over the weekend.<\/p>\n
Valley Psychological Group, a mental health clinic in downtown Bakersfield, received a 48-hour abatement notice from the city after a tree on its property caught fire over the weekend. The city deemed the tree a public safety hazard following consultation with code enforcement and an arborist.<\/p>\n
Dr. Gary Longwith and Cynthia McInnis, who work at Valley Psychological Group, say the tree has likely stood on the property for about 60 years.<\/p>\n
“One of the doctors that works for me, it was her father that erected this building back in the late [1960s] and the tree was here then, probably even before then,” Longwith said.<\/p>\n
McInnis said she and her colleagues learned about the fire Monday morning when they arrived at work to see the tree still smoking.<\/p>\n
“It was just difficult to understand that something like that had taken place, and then we were in no way notified, and you know we had to discover it Monday morning,” McInnis said.<\/p>\n
Longwith, who owns the clinic, said coming up with $8,500 in 48 hours is a significant burden for a small business.<\/p>\n
“It’s a shame, we’re a very small business providing mental health treatment. We make enough to pay for the employees, the building, etc. There’s not a whole lot of profit in mental health these days, unfortunately, and to come up with that kind of money in 48 hours. It puts a strain on everything,” Longwith said.<\/p>\n
According to a Bakersfield Fire Department Arson Investigator, the fire is under an active investigation.<\/p>\n
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.<\/p>\n
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