COACHELLA: Firefighters battle third massive pallet fire in Riverside County
COACHELLA – Firefighters found themselves having to battle yet another pallet fire in Riverside County Wednesday, Dec. 7. The fire broke out at a pallet company in the 52000 Block of Grapefruit Boulevard in Coachella.
Wednesday’s pallet blaze was the third pallet-related fire that Cal Fire/Riverside County firefighters have had to battle in the last 18 days. There have also been several pallet-related fires “of suspicious origin” reported in San Bernardino County.
The other two Riverside County area pallet fires happened at GPC Pallets in Perris on Nov. 18, and Priority Pallet in Beaumont Dec. 3.
58 firefighters from 18 engine companies spent more than seven hours bringing the Nov. 18 blaze under control.
38 firefighters from 10 engine companies suppressing the Dec. 3 blaze in Beaumont.
Fire officials, arson officials, and several law enforcement agencies from throughout the Inland Empire are reportedly investigating a possible connection between the string of fires.
Read other Riverside County News Source articles about recent Riverside County pallet fires:
PERRIS: HUGE PALLET FIRE BRINGS OVERWHELMING RESPONSE, FORCES RAMONA EXPRESSWAY CLOSURE
Wednesday’s fire was reported to Cal Fire/Riverside County firefighters about 1:41 p.m.
26 firefighters from six engine companies and one truck company responded to the blaze, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Public Information Officer Jody Hagemann. They were assisted by one water tender.
Flames and smoke could be seen from miles around as firefighters battled the blaze.
About 1,200 pallets were reportedly destroyed but firefighters saved thousands more. At least one vehicle was also destroyed during the fire.
Officials at the scene of the blaze stated they believed the fire started in a dumpster. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation.
While firefighters battled the huge fire, California Highway Patrol officials closed Grapefruit Boulevard between Avenue 52 and Airport Boulevard for traffic and crowd control and several power lines that were compromised by the massive blaze.
Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas Company were requested to the scene of the fire to shut off utilities to the location. The Imperial Irrigation District also responded to the blaze.
Nobody was working at the pallet yard when the fire broke out and there was not supposed to be anyone else at the faciltiy when the fire erupted.
There were no reported injuries to citizens or firefighters.
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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.