HEMET – Fire destroys horse barn on Cedar Avenue
Firefighters found a horse barn and shed on fire when the arrived. Robert Carter photo
HEMET – A a barn filled with horses and at least one outbuilding were destroyed when a fire broke out at a residence in the 43000 block of Cedar Avenue Friday, Nov. 18.
The property where the blaze occurred is south of the Mountain View Mobile Home Park and located between Cedar Avenue, Ramona Expressway, and Mountain Avenue in an unincorporated area of Hemet.
According to a witness at the scene, at least two horses were safely removed from the barn before it was destroyed by the blaze.
Cal Fire/Riverside County firefighters were first notified about the fire at 8:31 p.m., when multiple citizens called 911 to report the blaze.
Riverside County firefighters were assisted by firefighters from the City of Hemet and Soboba Fire Departments. A total of 19 firefighters from six engine companies responded to the fire, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Public Information Officer Jody Hagemann.
At least two horses that were in the barn when the fire broke out were safely removed before the barn was destroyed. Robert Carter photo
The first arriving engine company reported a single-story residence with a barn that was fully engulfed in fire. They also reported a power pole was on fire.
Firefighters were able to quickly knock down the blaze and saved the residence from being destroyed.
One victim was transported to a local area hospital by ground ambulance for unspecified injuries, according to Hagemann. It was unknown if the injured victim was related to the fire and no further information was provided about their condition.
Southern California Edison was requested to the scene to check the integrity of the power pole that was burned in the blaze.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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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.