FIREFIGHTERS HALT FIRE AT ROCK QUARRY DESPITE EXPLOSIONS, LACK OF WATER

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May 15, 2011 (Spring Valley) – A fire at the McGrath rock quarry resulted in a multi-agency response hindered by explosions from combustibles and ammunition in storage on the site, which had no water access.

“Had this been three weeks later with the brush drying out, we would have also had a wildland fire,” said Battalion Chief Andrew Menshek with San Miguel Fire Department.

“About 2:40 p.m., our emergency command center began getting calls of smoke in the vicinity of Jamacha and Hillsdale,” Chief Menshek noted. “It was reported to be a brush fire, but it was not.”
 

Firefighters located the fire at the McGrath rock quarry, which has a large mining operation, Menshek said. Upon arrival, they saw a tractor trailer semi-truck and a mobile home ablaze. Then a Conex storage box went up in flames.
 

“They were all, top to bottom, filled with combustibles,” Menshek said. “There is no water up there. “
 

Firefighters shuttled water from distant locations and called in San Diego Fire Department’s Copter One to conduct air drops.
 

“We were worried that it was going to get into vegetation and threaten the Fuerte Vista area,” Menshek said. “There was ammunition going off,” he added, noting that the ammo was believed to be from personal firearms.
 

A multi-agency response of nine ground units in addition to the helicopter included Cal-Fire as well as Heartland, Sycuan, Lakeside, and San Miguel, which dispatched five units. It took five hours for firefighters to extinguish the blaze.
 

Cause of the blaze remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Bomb and Arson unit.
 


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