Newell Incident
Incident Name: Newell Incident
Date Reported: 01/29/2020
Time Reported: 1603 Hours
Incident Location: 200 Block of Newell
Ward #: Ward 2 Melendrez
Type of Incident: Residential Structure Fire / Fallen Pine Tree
Incident Number: RIV #20-003167
Control Time: 01/29/2020 at 2016 Hours
Fatalities:
Critical:
Moderate:
Minor:
Non Injury:
Displaced Persons: 5
Loss: 650,000
/* 1,200,000 */
Cause:
Evacuations: 20
Evacuation Comments: Evacuated approximately 20 residents
Resources Assigned
Chief Officer(s): 2
Engine Companies: 7
Truck Companies: 2
Squad(s): 1
Ambulance(s):
Firefighter(s): 31
Safety Officer(s): 1
Public Information Officer(s): 1
Fire Investigator(s): 1
Overhead Personnel: 4
Mutual Aid:
Specialized Equipment:
EOC: Notified
Utilities: RPU
Red Cross: Responded to the incident.
Percent (%) Contained or Completed:
Total (%) of Perimeter that will be Contained:
Incident Size Acreage:
Current Situation
On January 29, 2020 at 4:03 p.m., the City of Riverside Fire Department responded a first alarm structure fire assignment to the 200 block of Newell Drive for reports of a tree fallen into a garage of a residential house and the house was on fire. Additional reports from dispatch included a grandmother and her two children were trapped in their backyard and were unable to escape. A smoke column was visible for miles from responding units from their home stations. Firefighters arrived on scene to find a single story residential structure with heavy fire involvement from the garage and attic space. There were three immediate residential exposures and the flames were being fanned by 30 mph Santa Ana Winds.
Firefighters were able to determine that the Grandmother prior to our arrival, took her two young grandchildren and were able to escape to a neighbor’s backyard. The three occupants were not injured. Firefighters were unable to make entry into the garage to perform fire attack due to a very large pine tree that had fallen into the garage. Firefighters were also hampered from making entry due to security bars over the windows. Exposure hose lines were quickly put in place to protect the immediate exposures. RPD was requested for traffic control to stop by passers from driving their vehicles over the hydrant supply line. Five residential structures were evacuated displacing approx. 20 residents for two hours.
A second alarm was ordered along with an AMR ambulance for standby. A PIO along with a Safety Officer was also requested. Firefighters utilized chainsaws to cut apart the pine tree in order to perform fire attack to the front of the house. Firefighters also utilized rotary saws to cut the security bars off of the windows. Firefighters were able to hold the fire to the primary structure and there was no fire damage to any exposures. A primary search was conducted and no occupants were located inside confirming all occupants had escaped. An additional engine company also responded. The attic space had heavy loading of storage contents and there was numerous void spaces with smoldering fires. Overhaul and salvage was labor intensive. The house was about 70% damaged from the fallen pine tree. Building and Safety responded to the incident and Red-Tagged the structure. Riverside Public Utilities responded to the incident and secured the electrical to the structure.
Red Cross responded to the incident for a total of 5 displaced residents, three adults and two children. A passenger vehicle was found in the driveway of the residential house and the vehicle was damaged by the fallen pine tree. A total of 38 personnel from the City of Riverside Fire Department responded to the incident. There were no firefighter injuries or civilian injuries. A board up company responded to the incident to secure the structure. Estimated loss is at $650,000 with an estimated save of $1,200,000 million. Arson Investigator responded to the scene and performed an investigation, the cause was determined to be an “Act of Nature”.
Assisting Aid Agencies
Incident Commander: Bruce Vanderhorst
Prepared By: Bruce Vanderhrost
Date / Time Posted: 01/30/2020 0555 Hours
Information Center: 951.826.5321
