HEMET: Courtyard Apartments evacuated due to palm tree fires
Several palm trees were set ablaze after a Weber grill was kicked or knocked over by an unidentified male. Miguel Shannon photo
HEMET – Numerous residents have been evacuated from the Columbia Courtyard Apartments and Columbia Street has been closed between E. Devonshire and E. Florida Avenues after several palm trees were reportedly set ablaze by an unknown man Sunday, Nov. 13. The apartments that were evacuated are located at 157 Columbia Street in Hemet.
Calls began flooding into City of Hemet emergency dispatchers about 5:40 p.m., after witnesses first spotted a single palm tree that was fully engulfed in fire. Several callers told dispatchers they heard multiple pops and explosions, possibly from nearby power lines and transformers being damaged by the fire.
Two engine companies, paramedics, and a battalion commander were initially dispatched to the scene of the fire. However, that number quickly grew to include another engine company, Hemet police officers, police volunteers, and other additional resources after the first arriving engine company reported that multiple palm trees were fully engulfed in fire. Fire officials advised the fires were threatening the nearby apartment complex as well as power lines and power transformers.
Firefighters climb onto a roof to better fight the blaze. Miguel Shannon photo
Upon arrival, a Hemet Fire battalion commander almost immediately implemented the Palm Incident Command and began requesting additional resources to the scene. At about the same time a fire official called for the immediate evacuation of the Courtyard Apartments.
Evacuees were sent from the apartments south to Florida Avenue to await further instructions. It was not immediately known how many people from the apartments had been temporarily displaced by the fire or when they would be allowed to return to their homes.
As fire officials began to evacuate the apartments, they requested emergency response from Hemet police, due to unruly crowds who were impeding firefighter’s efforts to knock down the blaze and motorists that were running over fire hoses that were spread across the roadway.
Officers immediately responded to the emergency to assist with traffic and crowd control and to help with evacuating the apartments near the multiple tree fires.
Police officials later updated that witnesses had seen a white male adult who was believed to have started the fire. Witnesses at the scene stated after the man started the fire he was possibly beaten by one or more citizens before he fled the area.
Other witnesses advised the fire was started by hot coals from a Weber fire grill that was knocked over. It was not immediately known if the man being sought had purposely knocked over the fire grill, leading to the fires. Police officers are searching several nearby locations the man is known to frequent.
Emergency crews had begun to clear the scene by 7 p.m., after they had brought the fires under control. Some resources were expected to remain at the scene to conduct mop up operations and ensure against accidental flare ups.
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Video by Eddie George and Laurie Cain/Hemet News
This is a developing story. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
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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 12 – soon to be 13 – grandchildren.