Community unites to fight Hemet fire that threatened homes
HEMET, Calif. — Thanks to the fast and decisive response of area residents who jumped into action to battle a swift-moving vegetation fire that erupted in a Hemet residential neighborhood Tuesday evening, July 7, no homes were damaged or destroyed and no injuries were reported.
Dramatic videos filmed from the scene of the fire, which was immediately threatening a large apartment complex and at least a half-dozen homes, showed countless residents working together to slow the forward advance of the blaze until firefighters could arrive and knock down the flames.
Witnesses later reported the fire was sparked by the use of illegal fireworks.
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City of Hemet Police and Fire personnel, along with Cal Fire-Riverside and Soboba Fire Departments, were dispatched to the scene just south of the Courtyard Apartments on the 1500 block of El Nita Ln., between San Jacinto St. and Melvere Pl., after receiving reports of a quickly spreading vegetation fire.
911 callers reported the blaze was threatening nearby apartments and homes and told emergency dispatchers that residents from the neighborhood were already working together to battle the blaze.
Area residents who jumped into action to battle a swift-moving vegetation fire in a Hemet residential neighborhood Tuesday evening, were credited with helping to make sure no homes or apartments were damaged. Kimberly Sawyer/Hemet Valley Incidents photo
While firefighters were being dispatched and despite the imminent danger to themselves, area residents whose apartments and homes were being threatened, ignored the personal risks and leapt into action.
While some citizens scaled several chain-link and wooden fences to access the burning field and used shovels, rakes, and other hand and gardening tools to smother the flames with dirt, others formed a bucket brigade to continuously throw water onto the fire’s hotspots.
Other citizens had soon strung together lengths of garden hoses to allow more water to be poured onto the fire.
Despite the thick and choking smoke that soon filled the neighborhood, other residents – along with children – were seen running door to door, warning their neighbors about the fire’s advance.
As firefighters began arriving on the fire’s west side and attacked the flames burning along San Jacinto Ave., residents continued battling the flames along the fire’s east side along Melvere Pl., where the greatest danger to homes was.
Although citizens had brought most of the blaze under control by the time firefighters began arriving on the east side of the fire, area residents could be heard applauding their arrival and thanking them for their fast response to the crisis.
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Others were quick to thank the area residents for their help in knocking down the dangerous blaze.
“You guys did an amazing job,” Hemet News contributor Kimberly Hust – who filmed the fire and citizens’ response to the crisis and whose video can be viewed below – could be heard telling other citizens who had worked together to slow the fire’s advance.
“This whole community just came together and put out this fire with buckets and water hoses,” Hust continued on the video. “That was really awesome what you did.”
Area residents, some of whom were shirtless and shoeless and seen battling the fire in pajamas, worked together to knock down a vegetation fire that threatened an apartment complex and multiple private residences. Kimberly Hust/Hemet News photos
“Ignoring the dangers to themselves, the residents of the neighborhood came rushing out of their homes, came together as a community, and jumped into action,” Hemet News founder Eddie George later said of the incident.
“Nobody hesitated to jump into firefighting mode,” George continued; saying, “It was so amazing to see how a community can unite together to help save everyone.”
“Although the combined efforts of the responding fire departments ultimately finished the job of extinguishing the blaze, were it not for how these neighbors reacted this fire could have been a lot worse and could have ended in tragedy,” George continued; saying, “These residents and kids did an outstanding job coming together.”
“As I always say, a community that unites together will survive together; and neighbors should spend more time looking out for each other than looking at each other,” said George.
Click any image to open full-size gallery.
Kimberly Sawyer/Hemet Valley Incidents photos below.
Kimberly Hust/Hemet News photos below.
Kimberly Hust/Hemet News video below.
Kimberly Sierra/Hemet Valley Incidents video below.
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Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; 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 29 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 16 grandchildren.
Very awesome!!! Great job everyone!!! And the ones still setting off illegal fireworks- shame on you!!!
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