Riverside Fire Department

Cranford Incident



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Incident Name: Cranford Incident

Date Reported: 11/03/2020

Time Reported: 1220 Hours

Incident Location: 3715 Cranford, Riverside, CA 92507

Ward #: Ward #2 Melendrez

Type of Incident: Structure Fire / Hazardous Materials

Incident Number: RIV #20-032179

Control Time: 11/3/2020 at 1646 Hours

Fatalities:

Critical:

Moderate:

Minor: 2

Non Injury:

Displaced Persons:

Loss: $5,000

/* $5,000,000 */

Cause:

  • Failure of equipment or heat source
  • Evacuations: 30 Residents

    Evacuation Comments:



    Resources Assigned


    Chief Officer(s): Battalion Chief Bruce Vanderhorst

    Engine Companies: 4

    Truck Companies: 1

    Squad(s): 1

    Ambulance(s): 2

    Firefighter(s): 25

    Safety Officer(s): 1

    Public Information Officer(s):

    Fire Investigator(s):

    Overhead Personnel: 6

    Mutual Aid:

    Specialized Equipment:

  • Breathing Support
  • Haz-Mat
  • EOC: Yes notified

    Utilities:

    Red Cross:

    Percent (%) Contained or Completed:

    Total (%) of Perimeter that will be Contained:

    Incident Size Acreage:


    Current Situation


    (Recent updates are posted at the top of the Current Situation)

    On Tuesday November 3, 2020 at 12:20 p.m., The City of Riverside Fire Department responded a structure fire first alarm assignment to the 3700 Block of Cranford for reports of light smoke coming utility room in the complex adjacent to the swimming pool.  Firefighters arrived on scene to find a small fire in utility room.

    Firefighters extinguished the fire and held the fire to within the storage area.  Upon further investigation it was discovered Chlorine tablets for the swimming pool and batteries for cordless tools were stored in the same area and sustained damage from the fire.  The batteries were grouped together in a storage bag which caught fire first igniting the room.

    Chlorine gas was off gassing from the utility storage room which prompted the evacuation of the apartment complex which totaled 45 apartment units and 30 residents which were at the apartment complex as the time of the incident were evacuated.  One firefighter was treated on scene and transported by AMR to a local area hospital in minor condition.  The firefighter was released from the hospital after evaluation. 

    The City of Riverside Hazardous Materials Team responded to mitigate the Chlorine in the storage room.   Fire Prevention and Code Enforcement responded to the incident to assess the storage room, however, they were unable to assess due to the incident and will return tomorrow to make an assessment if storage codes were violated. 

    The Hazardous Materials Team was able to clean the room and remove the Chlorine Tablets and place into plastic drums securing the product.  The room was ventilated and mitigated.  The Hazardous Materials Team performed air sampling and determined the apartment complex was safe to re-populate.  All residents were allowed to re-populate at 4:30 p.m. 

    RPD assisted with traffic control.  The City of Riverside Office of Emergency Management assisted with evacuations.  AMR assisted with the incident. 

    A total of 25 firefighters and 6 overhead personnel responded to the incident.  There was a total of two firefighter injuries and no civilian injuries.


    Assisting Aid Agencies


  • AMR
  • Riverside County Environmental Health
  • RPD

  • Incident Commander: Battalion Chief Bruce Vanderhorst

    Prepared By: Battalion Chief Bruce Vanderhorst

    Date / Time Posted: 11/04/2020 0520

    Information Center: 951.237-6310