Homeowners Sue Company For Dumping Burning Trash At Site Of Sandalwood Fire

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RIVERSIDE (CBSLA/AP) -- A lawsuit has been filed against a waste management company whose truck driver dumped burning refuse near a road in Calimesa, sparking a fire that killed two people and destroyed scores of homes.

The Sandalwood Fire was sparked Oct. 10 when the driver dumped the burning trash near the Villa Calimesa Mobile Home Park, where several structures burned down after the fire quickly spread to the nearby mobile home community.

Lawyers for homeowners say a civil suit was filed in Riverside on Tuesday alleging CR&R Inc. placed business interests ahead of public safety.

The suit says a passer-by pleaded with the driver not to unload the trash amid high winds.

This screengrab from a Ring doorbell video appears to show the truck hauling burning trash. (credit: CBS)

Waste industry experts have said drivers are trained to find a safe place to unload burning trash in a truck fire.

A request from the Associated Press to CR&R seeking comment was not immediately returned.