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One injured in Thermal junkyard fire

Published April 26, 2018 6:28 AM

One person was injured after a fire broke out at a junkyard in Thermal Wednesday afternoon.

The fire was reported at 4:15 p.m. According to the first arriving fire engine company, several vehicles and one small mobile home have been engulfed by the 2-acre junkyard fire.

18 engine companies and 57 total firefighters responded to the scene.

“Roughly ten of those engines were utilized in shuttling water, however, we used just the operators to shuttle water,” said Mike Smith, battalion chief for Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire

The closest hydrant about half a mile down the road.

“Typically hydrants are spaced about 300 feet apart in the eastern valley, in this case, we’re at the of that 300 feet plus the tremendous distance from the inside of that roadway,” Smith added.

Firefighters were able to contain the fire to one-acre. According to Cal Fire, one person was transported to the hospital with moderate burn injuries. Nearby residents said he was trying to put out the flames before firefighters got on scene.