Firefighters save Temecula home during Saturday blaze, 2 displaced

TEMECULA – Firefighters spent just over 30 minutes knocking down a residential fire in the 36900 block Los Alamitos Drive in an unincorporated area east of Temecula Sept. 10. The fire was first reported to Riverside County emergency dispatchers at about 5:43 p.m.

25 firefighters from six engine companies, one truck company, and one water tender responded to the residential fire, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Public Information Officer Jody Hagemann.

When firefighters arrived on scene they found a residential structure with a fully involved garage fire.

Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas Company were summoned to the scene of the fire to turn off utilities to the burning residence while firefighters were working on controlling the blaze.

Hagemann wrote that the fire was contained to the garage at about 6:17 p.m. and that firefighters had the blaze knocked down before it could extend into the living quarters of the residence.

The fire was directly across the street from Leoness Cellars, a vineyard featuring wine tasting, a restaurant and tours.

Becky Jagoda, the Wine Tasting Manager at Leoness Cellars who was at the business when the fire broke out across the street praised the fire department and their efforts.

“The fire department did a great job,” Jagoda said. “They got here right away and had the fire out very quickly. They were very professional and efficient.”

CHP was called to the scene to assist with traffic control near Los Alamitos at De Portola.

Fire personnel remained at the scene for about two hours once the fire was extinguished for overhaul and clean up operations.

Hagemann estimated the loss due to fire to be about $400,000. She also estimated the amount saved by the firefighter’s efforts to be 1.8 million dollars.

There were no injuries reported as a result of the fire. However, the American Red Cross was requested by the Incident Commander to assist two adults who were displaced by the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation

Anyone with information about this fire is encouraged to contact Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire officials at (951) 940-6985. Callers can refer to incident file number CA-RRU-109907 and can remain anonymous.

 

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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.