Firefighters Contain 2nd Alarm Pallet Yard Blaze In Fontana
FONTANA (CBSLA.com) — Crews were on the scene of a second alarm commercial fire Friday that erupted in a pallet yard last night.
According to the San Bernardino County Fire Department, firefighters were sent around 9:55 p.m. Thursday to the 13700 block of Santa Ana Avenue for report of explosions coming from within the pallet yard.
Once on scene, crews found numerous stacks of pallets, some as high as 30 feet, which were fully engulfed in flames on about four acres of land.
Firefighters explained the business was surrounded on two sides by about 30 tractor trailers, which contained different types of cargo.
One of the trailers burned extremely close to a single-story residence.
An officer from the Fontana Police Department who arrived on scene shortly after the fire erupted was able to alert and rescue one person in the home, which was located to the front of the business.
The resident was sleeping when the fire broke out, and was unaware of how dangerously close the fire came to the back side of his home, police said.
Flames also began to spread towards a commercial tire business nearby, and spread into rows of large sized tires used on commercial grade heavy equipment, authorities explained.
Officials reported that class B foam was used to extinguish flames burning in the tires.
According to the San Bernardino County Fire Department, over 65 firefighters had the blaze under control in about two and a half hours.
Several piles of pallets and other materials had to be broken down to be sure all flames were extinguished, firefighters explained.
One firefighter sustained non-life threatening injuries, and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
No civilian injuries were reported.
The explosions were found to be coming from propane tanks and acetylene cylinders located on the property, officials said.
The blaze destroyed the pallet yard, which included a workshop located on the grounds and several tractor trailers.
The home received minor damage, and the tire company had moderate damage from the flames.
Firefighters said preliminary damage loss is estimated to be over $3 million.
Surrounding roads were closed through the early morning hours, police explained.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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