Firefighters knock down Cottonwood blaze

COTTONWOOD — Firefighters successfully knocked down a fully-involved trailer fire that spread to nearby vegetation in Cottonwood earlier today, Sunday June 23. Today’s fire, which happened in the area of Seales Ln., just west of Main St., sent thick black clouds billowing into the sky and large, fist-sized ashes raining down throughout the area.

According to witnesses at the scene, the blaze destroyed at least one structure – possibly a detached garage – and damaged a small boat and other personal property that had been on the corner property.

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Cottonwood and Anderson Fire Protection Districts, with Cal Fire and other emergency personnel were first alerted to the blaze around 12:45 p.m., according to officials.

When firefighters arrived at the scene they reported finding a fully-involved trailer fire that had begun spreading to surrounding vegetation. Firefighters mounted an aggressive attack on the fire, while working to protect other area structures and outbuildings.

As firefighters battled the blaze, area residents reported hearing numerous small explosions, which one official later attributed to ammunition, which could be heard “cooking off” from the fire’s intense heat.

Fire crews later reported that everyone made it from the trailer safely and that they had contained the blaze shortly before 3:30 p.m.

No citizen or firefighter injuries related to this fire have been reported.

As of this report, the cause of the fire was unknown and still under investigation.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor 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, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with 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, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.