On April 19, the Escondido Police and Fire Communication Center received a report of a Commercial Structure Fire near the 1600 block of East Valley Pkwy. in Escondido. A full commercial structure fire response was dispatched. The first arriving Fire Captain reported heavy smoke coming from the roof and rear of a large single-story strip-mall. Due to the potential for the fire to spread and the size of the building, a second alarm was also requested but soon cancelled as the incident stabilized.
Aggressive action by firefighters located, contained and controlled the fire in approximately 10 minutes minimizing structural damage and any spread to adjacent occupancies. In all 7 Fire Engines, 2 Truck Companies, 2 Rescue Ambulances and 2 Battalion Chiefs responded to the fire. Escondido Police units provided road closures and assistance was provided by San Marcos Fire Department. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
On April 21, the Escondido Fire Department honored its Support Volunteers with a luncheon at Police & Fire Headquarters in conjunction with National Volunteer Appreciation Week. In 2021, the Fire Support Volunteers provided a combined total of 1,809 hours of service to the Fire Department! Support Volunteers deliver Fire Department mail and supplies to Escondido’s seven fire stations, assist with Fire Department functions, offer public education and provide logistical support to firefighters during incidents.If you’re interested in volunteering for the Escondido Fire Department, please visit the Escondido Fire Department website: http://fire.escondido.org/volunteer.
On April 22, the Escondido Police and Fire Communication Center received a report of a vehicle fire on the freeway. Firefighters responded to the southbound I-15 freeway on the Valley Parkway off-ramp and the first arriving Captain reported a Ford Ranger pickup truck with a fully engulfed engine compartment. Firefighters were able to quickly control the fire and prevent the water runoff from entering the storm drains by creating a dam near the drains. There were no reported injuries to civilians or firefighters.
On April 23, the Escondido and Oceanside Fire Explorers completed the joint “Fire Explorer Academy” at the Escondido Fire Station 1’s Training Tower. The Fire Explorers and their families participated in a graduation ceremony, and the Explorers put on a demonstration of the skills they learned during the academy. The event was well attended and reflected the outstanding effort by our Explorers, as well as their dedicated instructor staff including EFD Firefighter Paramedics Jeff Montgomery, Maciel Maciel and Tag Ryan.
On April 24, the Escondido Police and Fire Communication Center received a report of a fire in the area of 1312 Morning View Dr, at the River Walk Apartments. The initial report described a possible fire in the Pool Room structure. The first arriving Fire Captain quickly determined that the fire was located in the vegetation of Reidy Creek, behind the apartment complex, originating in a homeless encampment. The fire was contained in minutes with no threat to buildings or personnel. Firefighters remained on scene for another hour to thoroughly overhaul the ignited area. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
