Three-alarm blaze destroys Alhambra building

Here’s the Fire Department’s scanner traffic.

A three-alarm fire torched several buildings near 3rd and Main Tuesday night.

The cause of the blaze was unknown. Several residences and business were without power when the fire brokeout. The blaze apparently started in a condo or apartment complex that is under construction.

Several other buildings appeared to catch fire as well.

Firefighters from Alhambra, South Pasadena and Los Angeles County responded to the thre-alarm blaze, officials said.

The amount of damage caused by the blaze was unknown. It is unknown if there were any injuries.
— Frank C. Girardot

Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr Linkedin Email

Twenty percent contained — latest numbers

Freeway Complex Fire Information:
Last Updated: November 16, 2008 at 7:30 pm  
Date/Time Started: November 15, 2008 at 9:07 am
Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE / Orange County Fire Authority / Corona City Fire / Anaheim Fire / Chino Valley Fire
County: Orange County / Riverside County
Location: Between Corona, Chino Hills, Yorba Linda, Brea & Anaheim
Acres Burned: 23,722 acres
Containment: 19% contained
Structures Threatened: 3,500 structures are threatened.
Structures Destroyed: STRUCTURES DAMAGED OR DESTROYED: 64 buildings OR 104 residences.

  • Anaheim – 10 homes, 10 apartment buildings (50 apartment units) – TOTAL of 60 residences
  • Yorba Linda – 70 residences
  • Corona – 16 residences
Evacuations:

Evacuations and Road Closures

Cause: Under Investigation  
Cooperating Agencies: CAL FIRE, Orange County Fire Authority, Corona Fire, Anahiem City Fire, Chino Valley Fire, CHP, CDCR and CCC.
Total Fire Personnel:

3,699 Total Personnel
575 Engines
77 Crews
35 Dozers
7 Watertenders
16 Helicopters
12 Airtankers

Conditions:

The Freeway Complex is made up of the Freeway Fire and the Landfill Fire. CAL FIRE Incident Command Team #6 has transitioned into a unified command.

Firefighters made good progress in containing this fire as the Santa Ana Winds died down significantly.

Many Evacuations and road closures remain in effect.

Triangle Complex Information: (714) 628-7085
Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr Linkedin Email

From Katrina to Triangle Complex

Reporter Maritza Velazquez tracked down a young woman who lost everything in Hurricane Katrina only to face the similar prospect as a resident of Diamond Bar Saturday. Here’s the top of her story:

DIAMOND BAR — Three years ago Danita Clark lost everything.
She came close to experiencing a similar loss Sunday when she and nearly 1,800 others were evacuated from their neighborhoods in Diamond Bar ahead of the raging Triangle Complex Fire.
“I took everything I could. I’ve been through Hurricane Katrina, so I know how it is to come back and not have anything,” Clark said.
In August 2005, the 22-year-old was forced to evacuate her Slidell, Louisiana home when Hurricane Katrina hit and ultimately devastated the Gulf Coast.
After living in a hotel and eating from fast food restaurants everyday for a month, she returned. But her former home was in ruins. The furniture was severely molded and the home was flooded with water that reached six-feet in height.

Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr Linkedin Email

Most recent numbers from the Triangle Complex

Triangle Complex (includes Freeway Fire) Information:
Last Updated: November 16, 2008 at 4:00 pm  
Date/Time Started: November 15, 2008 at 9:07 am
Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE / Orange County Fire Authority / Corona City Fire / Anaheim Fire / Chino Valley Fire
County: Orange County / Riverside County
Location: Corona and Orange County (Yorba Linda, Brea & Anaheim)
Acres Burned: 10,475 acres
Containment: 0% contained
Structures Threatened: More than 3,500 structures are threatened.
Structures Destroyed: STRUCTURES DAMAGED OR DESTROYED: 64 buildings OR 104 residences.

  • Anaheim – 10 homes, 10 apartment buildings (50 apartment units) – TOTAL of 60 residences
  • Yorba Linda – 70 residences
  • Corona – 16 residences
Evacuations:

Evacuations and Road Closures

Cause: Under Investigation  
Cooperating Agencies: CAL FIRE, Orange County Fire Authority, Corona Fire, Anahiem City Fire, Chino Valley Fire, CHP, CDCR and CCC.
Total Fire Personnel:

600 Total Personnel
75 Engines
1 Crew
1 Dozer
4 Watertenders
18 Helicopters
12 Airtankers

Conditions:

The Freeway Fire and the Landfill Fire have been made into the Triangle Complex. CAL FIRE Incident Command Team #6 has transitioned into a unified command.

Major concerns are the high winds and large scale evacuations.

Evacuations and road closures remain in effect.

A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 4:00 pm. today.  For weather information check with National Weather Service – Southern California or California Weather.

Triangle Complex Information: (714) 628-7085
Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr Linkedin Email

A firsthand account

This comes from blogger Bear Chick:

19521-dbfire2-thumb-300x225.jpg
We’re smack in the middle of Brea/Anaheim Hills/Yorba Linda, then being called the Freeway Complex fire. Last night Carbon Canyon was added and this morning Chino Hills and Diamond Bar came into the mix and now it’s called the Triangle Complex fire. I don’t think we’ve ever been this close to a fire this big. We’ve seen fire in the hills in Yorba Linda but the problem with this weekend’s fire was the Santa Ana winds kicking up. The Brea fire is about 2 miles from us, which seems like a safe distance I suppose but the fire crossed a freeway in Yorba Linda! For those of you not familiar with freeways in Cali, the 91 probably has at least 8 lanes where the fire jumped it. So 2 miles away doesn’t seem that far in view of Mother Nature’s leaping ability!

Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr Linkedin Email