Cal Fire contains fire near Indio High School, no injuries reported
UPDATE: 5/17/18 – 9:30 a.m. – The property damage for the fire has been estimated at $900,000. Additionally, it’s estimated that firefighters were able to prevent $300,000 of property damage. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
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UPDATE: 3:03 p.m. – The blaze has been contained according to Cal Fire. No injuries have been reported. Firefighters will remain on the scene for the next three hours.
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Cal Fire/Riverside County firefighters are responding to reports of a 3-alarm commercial structure fire in Indio.
The fire was reported at 12:26 p.m. on the 81-000 block of Highway 111 near Indio High School. According to the Indio Police Department, the high school is not in any danger due to the fire.
Indio High School is being evacuated according to Desert Sands Unified School District Public Information Officer Mary Perry. Read the District’s full statement on the fire below:
“A fire in Indio near Indio High School has prompted the evacuation of classrooms. Students and staff have been relocated to the football field. Water has been provided. Air quality is a concern and early release is being considered….
Students are being released. Those who walk to school will be directed to safe routes thanks to cooperation from Indio Police. Those needing to be picked up will be at the Indio Rec Center. Police will be providing a safe path with select streets.
Please be extra cautious as you drive to the Rec Center. Our children are making their way home. School will resume tomorrow morning.”
Indio High School students had initially been evacuated to the school’s football field.
The abandoned Ralph’s supermarket located on the 81-000 block of Highway 111 in Indio caught fire, according to Dan Marshall of the Indio Police Department. At least two dozen firefighters are on the scene combating the blaze.
Highway 111 is closed from Monroe to Las Palms and Avenue 46 from Avenida Del Mar to Clinton Street. Indio PD is currently assisting with road closures and civilian safety measures.
Mass transit has taken a hit as a result of the fire; According to Sunline, Line 80, 81 and the line 111, which serve the Indio area, will be on detour until further notice. As part of the detour, 14 bus stops are affected. For the latest updates on the affected bus lines, go to sunline.org .
A KESQ & CBS Local news team is en route to the scene. Stay with us with the latest on this developing story.
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