Metrolink CEO’s home is among those destroyed in Mountain fire
When Darren Kettle attends the Metrolink board meeting Friday, he will be dressed down a bit — he won’t be wearing a suit and tie, power or otherwise.
With some luck, though, the chief executive of the commuter rail service will have socks.
Kettle’s house burned down in the Mountain fire on Wednesday, just a few hours after he and his wife evacuated with one bag each. One thing he forgot to pack was socks.
Their house was in Las Posas Estates, on the other side of the hills from Camarillo Heights, another neighborhood struck by the fire. Kettle was working at home when the power went out around 8 a.m. Hiswife texted him saying she hoped the fire near Somis didn’t go in their direction. At the time, Kettle said he had not even heard about the fire.
He researched it and saw that the fire was making its way toward their neighborhood. They hadn’t been told to evacuate, but he decided to pack some belongings just in case. When the evacuation notice came, Kettle headed out, imagining that he’d be back home in a few hours.
“When I left the house, I saw smoke and flames, and it looked like it was blowing in a different direction,” Kettle said. But he added, “It just takes one ember in a bad spot.”
Later, people started to send him pictures and videos that showed the Kettles’ home burning. A neighbor confirmed the house was lost.
“The only thing left standing of our house is the two chimneys,” he said. “My heart dropped to my stomach. It’s just shocking, traumatic, like, wow. Speechless. Just the range of emotions.”
The stunning toll of the Mountain fire became clear Thursday: Officials said 132 homes were lost and 88 damaged, making one of the most destructive fires in the region in several years.
Kettle’s neighborhood demonstrates the capriciousness of the fire, which had destroyed at least two dozen homes by noon Thursday. The house on one side of the Kettles also burned down, while the house on the other side survived.
Despite it all, Kettle took work calls Thursday and said he plans to attend the Metrolink board meeting Friday.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
