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Thick smoke drifted throughout Fern Valley Sunday evening after a structure fire erupted at 25130 Lodge Rd. and was reported about 7:40 p.m. While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, the fire appeared to be mainly on the second floor of the residence. The only occupant of the residence escaped and was uninjured. Firefighters had the fire knocked down at 8:28 p.m. and the structure was still standing.   Photo by Jenny Kirchner

 

 

 

The Idyllwild Fire Department, along with several Riverside County Fire units, saved a burning structure at 25130 Lodge Road in Fern Valley from total loss.

According to Capt. Mark LaMont, the response arrived on scene within four minutes, but only after spotting the smoke on Lodge Road rather than Chipmunk Drive where the initial and anonymous call to the Idyllwild Fire Station suggested the fire might be.

The resident was there and inhaled some smoke, but no injuries occurred and no medical transports were needed, LaMont said.

Several Idyllwild firefighters entered the blazing building to extinguish the fire and were helped with self-venting through the upstairs windows, LaMont added. The department’s thermal-imaging camera was used to identify and locate several hotspots that remained.

About a half-hour later, Idyllwild notified dispatch that full containment had been achieved. “It was a good knock-down,” LaMont said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, he said.

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