Valle Vista duplex destroyed by early morning blaze
8 engine companies and 30 firefighters responded to the residential fire. William Hayes photo
VALLE VISTA – Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire and City of Hemet City firefighters responded to the report of a multi-family dwelling structure fire. The fire was reported in the 43700 block of Nathan Drive in the community of Valle Vista Aug. 27, at 1:42 a.m.
30 firefighters from eight engine companies responded to the early morning blaze, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Public Information Officer Jennifer Fuhrman.
When Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire and Hemet Firefighters arrived on scene they found a duplex with a fully involved attic fire.
The Incident Commander requested an ambulance for a resident with a medical emergency for a person who was transported to an area hospital for difficulty breathing.
A firefighter surveys the damage to the interior and exterior of the damaged residence. William Hayes photo
The fire was contained to one unit in the duplex. However, two additional units sustained smoke damage.
No injuries to fire department personnel were reported.
Fuhrman estimated the damage to the duplex at $200,000 and that about $50,000 of the duplex was saved.
Resources remained at the scene for about three hours for extensive overhaul after the fire was extinguished.
Photos by William Hayes
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Trevor Montgomery spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg in an off-duty accident.
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including the Robert Presley Detention Center, the Southwest Station in Temecula, the Hemet Station, and the Lake Elsinore Station, along with many other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, Personnel and Background Investigations and he finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator.
Trevor has been married for more than 26 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 10 (soon to be 12) grandchildren.
it was one house fully damaged an one sustained fire damage not a total of three an it was started in kitchen not attic
Correct. As it says in the report, one house was destroyed and two sustained smoke related damage.
“The fire was contained to one unit in the duplex. However, two additional units sustained smoke damage.”