Strong Winds Hamper Firefighters, Palmdale CA

Strong winds hampered firefighting efforts in Palmdale today as a routine vegetation fire became numerous 911 calls for an apartment house fire at the Shadow Mountain Apartments at 1240 East Ave S. 911 dispatchers received numerous frantic calls for help as a row of juniper bushes burning in the strong Antelope Valley wind extended embers and flames onto the dry wood siding of a large two story apartment complex. Flames quickly traveled up the wood siding, braking several windows and entered into the attic of the structure. Two apartments were damaged as firefighters moved quickly with attack hose lines to confine the fast spreading fire. The truck crew had to open the attic space to cut off the extension of the fire do to strong winds pushing the flames into the wrap around wooden mansard. Firefighters from LA County Stations 37, 80, 131 and BC 17 controlled the stubborn blaze in approximately 15 minutes. The occupants of the building used 10 on site fire extinguishers prior to the arrival of the County Fire Department but were unable to control the flames from lapping into the apartment complex. Dollar loss is unknown at this time, cause is under investigation by Los Angeles County Fire Department and Sheriff Departments.

Photos and Information, Copyright Jeff Zimmerman, So Cal Fire Journal