SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, CA – San Bernardino County Fire responded to a report of a structure fire near the intersection of G Street and Congress Street in the city of San Bernardino. A County Fire UAV was over the scene one minute after dispatch and, through its thermal camera, confirmed a working fire inside a large commercial occupancy.
Engine companies discovered a fire spreading rapidly through a cabinet manufacturing business with immediate exposure to an adjacent commercial strip mall. Second and third alarms were dispatched to support the incident. Firefighters focused on evacuating the structures while mounting an aggressive interior attack. The degree of building involvement coupled with structural compromise eventually forced crews to transition to a defensive attack. The fire extended to the adjacent businesses as well as an exterior storage area where hundreds of bales of vinyl products had also ignited.
The fire was brought under control two hours after dispatch. Due to the degree of damage sustained to the primary building, an excavator was required to take down the masonry walls to facilitate overhaul of the structure.
Santa Ana winds were building through the Inland Empire, however winds were calm in the area of the incident and did not contribute to the fire’s growth.
Sixteen engines, three truck companies, one medic squad, an excavator, two investigators and four chief officers totaling 70 personnel were assigned to the incident. Loma Linda and Rialto fire departments assisted with one engine company each.
No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported. Damage estimates are still being compiled, however the primary structure is a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation through County Fire’s Office of the Fire Marshal.
Date/Time: Monday, January 13, 2024 11:13 PM
Location: 100 block South G Street San Bernardino
Incident: Commercial Structure Fire (BDC#: 25-13279)
Contact: Eric Sherwin, Public Information Officer (909) 547-5080
