Home burns in Coachella, destroying property

A single-story home in Coachella is destroyed after a fire broke out early Saturday morning. The property now appears abandoned with remaining signs of smoke, charred palm trees and a hollowed out interior from fire damage.

Riverside County Firefighters responded to reports of a structure fire at the 52000 block of Harrison St./Cesar Chavez around 5:16 a.m. Saturday morning. There were no injuries reported and the cause is still under investigation.

One nearby resident who witnessed the fire said he heard popping noises and explosions. He described the home “engulfed in flames” as high as 30 to 40 feet tall.

“I started hearing some popping sounds like maybe fireworks or live ammunition there,” said Coachella resident and witness David Terrones. “I stayed away.”

A man from a nearby business said he frequently saw cars coming and going from the house and believed drug sales were going on. An anonymous woman called KESQ/CBS Local 2 complaining of a disturbance at the property last night and suspected suspicious activity or an eviction that took place.

This is an ongoing investigation. Check back for more information.