Camp Fire Clean Up Crew Fired After Posting Insensitive Photos

Authorities are considering filing charges against a construction worker hired to clear out wreckage left behind from the deadliest wildfire in California history after he allegedly posted several insensitive photos from burned out properties.

Paradise officials shared the images to the town's Facebook page on Saturday calling the photos and captions made by Rob Freestone "unacceptable and reprehensible behavior."

In one photo, Freestone can be seen with a flower pot on his head while grinning in front of a burned out home. Another showed Freestone jumping in the middle of a destroyed trampoline with the caption "Trampolines are stupid ... it used to be called a Jumpoline until your mom got on it." 

A third photo shows two unidentified people sitting in what remains of a motor home with the caption "They're off on a fun filled [sic] vacation to unknown destinations in their new RV." 

People were particularly disturbed by one photo posted by Freestone that showed a dead cat with a beer bottle placed up against its mouth with the caption: "Dude... I was just chilling with my homies, having a couple of cold ones, and BAM... damn fire breaks out." 

"This is unacceptable and reprehensible behavior," the Town of Paradise wrote on its Facebook page, adding that the Paradise Police Department was looking into criminal charges.

The Camp Fire, which broke out on Nov. 8, burned for weeks becoming the deadliest in California state history, with 88 people killed and damaged or destroyed thousands of homes before it was 100% contained. At least 153,000 acres were burned by the rampaging wildfire. 

Freestone and the two other workers seen in the photos were fired from Bigge Crane and Rigging. The company described their worker's behavior as an "egregious insult." In a statement, the company said that it "expects its employees and contractors to work with the utmost integrity and professionalism." 

"Bigge regrets that the residents of Paradise and Butte County have suffered an egregious insult" during an already devastating time, the company added.

Investigators will determine whether any crimes were committed, a police spokesman said. 


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