Just before daybreak on October 14, Dave Roth’s beautiful and unique wedding venue, Mission on the Hill in Vacaville, was the site of a devastating fire which has severely impacted his operations for the immediate future.
Crews from both the Vacaville and Fairfield fire departments extinguished the two-alarm blaze, but not before it destroyed part of the interior and caused heavy smoke damage in the rest of the building. Vacaville Deputy Fire Chief Alan Hartford said that the fire started inside and spread to a gazebo outside, and it appeared the fire was smoldering for some time before flames were visible outside.
A suspect, reportedly identified with the help of videos taken by the venue’s surveillance system, has been booked in the Solano County Jail on suspicion of arson. The suspect is described by a commenter who claims to have been a neighbor in the related post on the Vacaville Police Department’s facebook page as having a history of substance abuse and criminal activity.
When I spoke with Dave in the days after the fire, he said that the office suffered the brunt of the fire, and that damage to the event space is limited to smoke damage. Not only do he and Marshia run operations for his venue in the office, but a real estate business as well, so this destruction had far-reaching consequences.
Clean up and preparations for repairs are underway and Dave anticipates being able to host events again in the Spring. This is undoubtedly a sorely trying experience for Dave, who has put his heart and soul into creating this unique venue, and the senselessness of this disaster saddens us here at Sac Bride as well. However, Tami and I know that Dave, a man of faith, strength and conviction, will rebuild and find a way to see some good in what has transpired.
