Two-alarm fire burns structure containing five garages on Alturas Rd.

https://youtu.be/OlskJrh7BhA

Video courtesy LCpl. Paul Brewer

Firefighters from several agencies responded to a structural fire at 1263 Alturas Rd. in Fallbrook just before noon today. One civilian was taken to the hospital with minor injuries but no firefighters were injured combating the blaze, according to North County Fire Protection District public information officer John Buchanan.

"It was just one big building with five garages," said Buchanan, who added that a welding shop and a wood shop occupied two of the garages. "The welding shop is pretty much a complete loss, and so is the garage between the wood shop and the welding shop. The wood shop has partial damage."

Buchanan said it took firefighters "a little over an hour" to put out the two-alarm fire that was first reported at 11:53 a.m.

"The first units arrived and noticed it was heavy involved with fire, so they bumped it up to a second alarm fire," said Buchanan. "There was a two-story residence within 25 feet of the first garage that was on fire, and the guys did a great job of stopping it at the garage and preventing it from getting to that residential building."

North County Fire was assisted by engine companies from Camp Pendleton, Cal Fire, Oceanside and Vista, as well as by deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and CHP officers.

LCpl Paul Brewer, a Marine based at Camp Pendleton, lives in an apartment near the fire and was one of the first to notice the blaze.

"They (the firefighters) did a really good job of containing the fire," said Brewer. "It was burning pretty good. Had they not did what they did, it could have been this whole street on fire. It would have been really bad."

Buchanan said the cause of the fire is under investigation, and the dollar damage had not yet been determined.