On May 9, the Escondido Police and Fire Communication Center received a report of a fire alarm at 1255 N. Broadway (Cypress Court Retirement Community). An Engine and Truck Company were dispatched to the location to investigate. Moments after the initial report the Communication Center received reports of a fire on the third floor of the multi-story assisted living facility. The response was upgraded to a Commercial Structure Fire response. The first arriving Engine Company reported no exterior signs of smoke or fire and entered the facility to investigate. Upon accessing the third floor via a stairwell, firefighters found heavy smoke and heat in the stairwell. The incident was upgraded to a Working Commercial Fire and a second alarm was immediately requested due to the size of the structure and the large number of elderly residents in the building. Fortunately, firefighters were able to quickly contained the fire to the third-floor stairwell with no further extension to the structure. Automatic fire doors limited the spread of smoke to a small portion of the third-floor. Firefighters were able to clear the smoke with electric fans in approximately 30 minutes. All residents were sheltered in place during the incident and none had complaints associated with possible smoke inhalation. No Firefighters were injured during the incident. The cause and origin of the fire is being investigated by Escondido Fire Department investigators, however, preliminary information indicates the fire may have originated in a malfunctioning florescent light ballast.
On May 12, the Escondido Police and Fire Communication Center received a report of a vegetation fire in the green belt between Kit Carson Park and the Westfield Shopping Center. The firefighters found and contained a small area of burning grass and brush on fire near Beethoven Drive. While the cause of the fire is under investigation, encampment activity was found at the scene.
Also, May 12, the Escondido Fire was dispatched to a vehicle fire at on Olivia Glen. Upon arrival, the firefighters found a vehicle with fire in the passenger space. The Captain recognized that the vehicle was electric powered and that there was a possibility that the fire spread to the batteries. Firefighters extinguished the fire and provided continual cooling of the batteries until completely secured. Electric vehicles present dangers of extremely toxic smoke and injury from electric discharge. This incident is an example of the changing dangers and complexities that firefighters must adapt to with training, protective gear, equipment and tactics.
On May 13, the Escondido Police and Fire Communication Center received a report of a vegetation fire in the area of Broadway and the west-bound 78. A small grass fire was quickly extinguished by Firefighters with no injuries to firefighters or civilians. There were multiple homeless encampments in the area that Caltrans was in the process of removing. Caltrans personnel remained on scene to finish debris removal.
On May 14, the Escondido Police and Fire Communication Center received a report of a structure fire in the 1500 block of Nob Hill Drive in Escondido. The first arriving engine Captain reported a vehicle in a carport fully involved in fire with exposure to nearby vegetation. Firefighters contained and controlled the fire in approximately 20 minutes. Crews were on scene for an additional hour performing salvage, overall and ensuring that the fire was completely extinguished in the vegetation. Both the vehicle and carport were a total loss. In all 4 Engines, 1 Ladder Truck, 3 Ambulances, and 1 Battalion Chief responded to the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation. One adult male suffered minor burns to the bottom of both feet and was treated on scene by paramedics and transported to a regional burn center.
Also, on May 14, the Escondido Police and Fire Communication Center received a report of a missing and possibly injured person in the area of Del Dios, north of Lake Hodges. A fire response was dispatched to the area of Quail Glen Road and Via Rancho Parkway to assist the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. The first arriving Captain met with family who stated their 80-year-old father had gone for a hike several hours prior and had not returned. Due to the very warm weather and dangers in the nearby terrain, the incident was upgraded to a rescue. The patient was located, dehydrated and disoriented, approximately one mile from any nearby access points, off the trail and in the brush adjacent to Lake Hodges in Escondido. With assistance from both Sheriff’s ASTREA and San Diego Fire and Rescue Copter 1, the patient was air-lifted to a nearby landing zone for treatment and transport to a local hospital. In all, 2 Engines, 1 Patrol Unit, 1 Ladder Truck, 1 Ambulance, 2 Chief Officers and 2 Helicopters responded. The response included assistance from San Diego County Sheriff, San Diego City Fire and Rescue Department, and the San Diego City Police Department. Safety Note: It is important that hikers bring water and stay hydrated during hiking events, know the area they are hiking, carry a cell phone and don’t hike alone.
Lastly, on May 14, the Escondido Police and Fire Communication Center received a report of a vegetation fire in the area of Canyon Crest Drive in the unincorporated county area east of Escondido. Because the area is within the Escondido/CAL FIRE mutual threat zone, a vegetation response was dispatched by both agencies, including CAL FIRE/San Diego County Fire aircraft. The first arriving Company Officer reported an active fire with a slow rate of spread in a remote area adjacent to a home, with structures threatened.
Air resources assisted firefighters on the ground from Escondido Fire and CAL FIRE to stop the forward progress and contain the fire. No structures were damaged. The fire was controlled and fully extinguished within two hours at 3 approximately acres. The area burned was determined to be within State Responsibility Area (SRA) and the cause of the fire is under investigation by CAL FIRE and Escondido Fire investigators. There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters.
Safety Message: Warmer weather and severe drought has caused the grass and brush to be very dry and susceptible to vegetation fires, even though we have not experienced hot dry Santa Ana winds yet. NOW is the time to ensure that your home has defensible space and that your family is ready for wildfire. Visit https://fire.escondido.org/wildfire-safety-evacuation for more information.
