Bear Wanders into California Office Building

A black bear astonished employees at a Southern California water district office by strolling in after pushing open the front door. The unexpected visitor head back into the nearby forest once its curiosity was satisfied.

Surveillance footage from the Crestline Village Water District, located in the San Bernardino Mountains, captured the bear’s brief exploration. The animal entered on a Wednesday afternoon while employees watched, clearly surprised by the unfolding scene. Inside, the bear sniffed around for several moments before it left the building by opening the door once more.

“It was exciting. It was cool to see a bear that close. It’s rare that we’re that close to them,” said Josselyn Brian, an employee at the district, while speaking to KTLA. “Thankfully, no one was in danger. There were no customers in there at the time; it was just us. So it couldn’t have been better. Scary, but wonderful.”

No injuries occurred during the incident, and no damage to the office was reported. Other staff members recounted seeing the bear return to the woods afterward. This was the latest in a series of unusual encounters with bears this week.

In an earlier incident in New Mexico, another bear scaled a utility pole, near the rural community of Gladstone. The bear’s climb, about 170 miles from Santa Fe, was caught on video and shared by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

“We appreciate the enthusiasm for American Energy Dominance, but this isn’t what we meant,” the department jokingly remarked in a social media post sharing the footage. The video, verified by Storyful, included a 911 call report about the bear on the pole.

Wildlife officials were notified; however, tranquilizing the animal posed a risk due to its precarious position. Unfortunately, the bear died from electrocution before it could be safely rescued, a fact reported by the New York Post.

Experts note that black bears, known for their climbing skills, often scale trees, utility poles, or other structures when startled by people or noise. In mountain communities like Crestline, it is common to spot bears roaming neighborhoods for food, though seeing one inside an office is rare.

Brittany Miller, a writer for Fox News Digital and former Independent reporter, contributed to this report. She graduated from Syracuse University in 2023.