Two large commercial fires erupted in downtown San Bernardino on Saturday morning, just a few blocks apart, according to authorities.
At around 6:15 a.m. on Saturday, the first fire began in a pallet yard on the 100 block of South E Street, according to a social media post by the San Bernardino County Fire Department. Crews arrived to find the fire threatening neighboring buildings, vehicles, and equipment. About 45 firefighters were deployed in addition to a number of bulldozers, according to fire department spokesperson Ryan Beckers.
Minutes into the first fire fight, smoke coming from another building down the street became visible. Heavy dark smoke was coming from the second floor of an almost 100-year-old boarded-up former Woolworth’s department store building at E and Fourth Streets, according to the social media post.
The construction of the 20,000-square-foot building posed a challenge to firefighters working to access the seat of the fire. Hoses eventually delivered water from inside and on the roof. About 60 firefighters fought the second fire, including some who were fighting the first fire, according to Beckers.
The first fire was under control within about 45 minutes and the second fire was contained within approximately 90 minutes.
Searches of the structure found it to be unoccupied. No injuries were reported.
Beckers said the two fires breaking out blocks away from each other and minutes apart is “unusual,” but it’s not unheard of. He said investigators will determine the cause of the two fires.
The Colton, Rialto, Riverside city and the Loma Linda fire departments aided the San Bernardino County Fire Department in the morning’s dual firefight.
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