A suspected arson event has led to the arrest of a man in connection to a Roseville homeless shelter fire, as reported by ABC10. The Roseville Police Department, alongside the city's Fire Department, responded late Sunday evening to the fire at The Gathering Inn, located on Berkeley Drive near Historic Roseville, which was swiftly extinguished.
Matthew Wallace Brandon, 34, was apprehended Monday morning following the blaze and is being held without bail at the South Placer Jail facing one arson charge, after evidence at the scene, surveillance footage, and witness statements led authorities to suspect arson as the cause, according to Roseville Police, thankfully no one was present at the property when the fire started and the damage was contained to the second floor, a non-guest area.
The fire has forced The Gathering Inn to relocate its services, including emergency and supportive housing for the homeless in Placer County and Elk Grove. Keith Diederich, CEO of The Gathering Inn, explained, "We are making plans for our guests to be served at other locations during the day and to continue regular operations at local churches at night," according to ABC10.
Roseville resident Lora Christoffel, who donates food to The Gathering Inn, found herself with prepared meals and no open doors to welcome them, highlighting the unfortunate ripple effect of such an incident, she told KCRA, “Today, they were supposed to have like Asian spicy noodles and Potatoes Demonico, and barbecue chicken wings, but now they’re closed,” and this uncertainty shadows over when the facility will resume operation as power restoration efforts continue.
