Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: OCFA

A Santa Ana mobile home fire was put out by OCFA firefighters

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OCFA firefighters fought a stubborn double-wide mobile home fire at the the 4000 block of W. MacFadden Ave. yesterday, according to the OCFA’s Twitter account.

The fire took place just north of Northgate Market, just a few blocks west of the busy W. McFadden and S. Harbor commercial intersection.

The fire crews encountered excessive storage conditions which made the firefight difficult. An adult couple was able to make it out without injury.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. There was no report as to the extent of the damage.

The O.C. Red Cross responded to the scene to assist the couple that was displaced. They were able to assist the couple with a SAVE card which provided them with funds to help out for the initial displacement.

Firefighters rescued a trapped driver after a three car accident in Santa Ana last night

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OCFA firefighters responded to the intersection of Bear St. and Alton Ave. for a traffic collision last night, according to their Twitter account.

Crews found three cars with one person trapped. Firefighters used rescue tools (jaws of life) to free the patient.

The firefighter paramedics provided advanced life support treatment to the trapped victim who was then transported to a hospital with assistance from Care Ambulance EMTs. The other people involved declined treatment. SAPD police officers were on the scene investigating.

Firefighters put out a fire at a light industrial building in Santa Ana this morning

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The OCFA reported a fire this morning at the 2600 block of S. Harbor Bl., at about 10 a.m., on their Twitter account.

This was a 2nd alarm fire at a light industrial strip mall. OCFA and Fountain Valley Fire crews were engaged in an aggressive offensive fire attack.

It took approximately 57 firefighters about 23 minutes to knockdown the fire and protect the exposed portions of the building.

No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported. However a dog was treated for smoke inhalation by OCFA firefighters.

The fire started in a vehicle inside the structure. Crews on scene were conducting an overhaul.

OCFA firefighters put out a residential fire today on Roosevelt Ave.

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OCFA firefighters responded to a structure fire at the 5400 block of Roosevelt Ave. today 2:17 pm according to an OCFA Tweet.

The fire occurred a few blocks west of N. Euclid St., north of W. First St.

The fire crews found a fire to the rear that had extended inside the home.

They were able to knock the flames down in less than 20 minutes and prevent it from extending to the adjacent home.

No word yet as to injuries or the extent of the damage. The OCFA has also not yet reported on the possible cause of the fire.

The OCFA is fighting a vehicle fire at the 55 Freeway and E. 17th St.

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OCFA firefighters are on the scene at the northbound 55 Freeway at 17th. St. for a large vehicle fire, according to an OCFA Tweet.

Three lanes are shut down for fire suppression activities.

More info to follow as this story develops.

Firefighters put out a fire at a Santa Ana home this evening

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The OCFA responded to a fire in Santa Ana just past 5 p.m. this evening at the 2500 block of S. Orange Ave, according to the OCFA Twitter page. The fire took place a couple blocks southwest of Monroe Elementary.

The fire happened at a one story dwelling with fire in the attic. The first arriving crews were able to knock the fire down in approximately 15 minutes while simultaneously ensuring no victims were in the building.

A pipe bomb was found and removed from the Floral Park Neighborhood

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You might recall a commotion on Monday, May 18, at about 1:10 p.m., near W. 19th and N. Flower Streets. Turns out the area had to be evacuated when a suspicious device was confirmed to be a pipe bomb!

Explosives experts from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched after the item was found, and nearby residents were evacuated, according to the O.C. Register.

The pipe bomb was not blown up where it was found. Most likely the O.C. Bomb Squad was able to collect it and take it away for proper disposal.

By 3:45 p.m. the area had been opened up again after investigators had collected evidence from the scene.

We still don’t know who left a pipe bomb in the historic Floral Park Santa Ana neighborhood, or why? Click here to see the Floral Park Neighborhood map.

Santa Ana church fire deemed arson and remains under investigation

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Santa Ana, CA – May 13, 2020 – A four-alarm fire in the City of Santa Ana on Thursday, May 7, deemed arson, remains under investigation by Orange County Fire Authority and Santa Ana Police. Since the abandoned building, a former United Presbyterian church, was known to be frequented by transients, it was determined that a thorough search for any possible victims was needed.

Due to the extensive damage to the three-story building, the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) Type IV Urban Search and Rescue Task Force was deployed to help stabilize the structure and search through the rubble to ensure no one perished in the fire. The highly trained team utilized heavy equipment and rigging to remove large structural members and sections of the floor. During the three days of clearing, OCFA human remains detection canines continued to work the scene, in conjunction with Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD), and the Orange County Sheriff’s Coroner’s office.

Following an exhaustive search, it has been concluded that no one was lost in the fire.

In addition, fortunately, none of the 100 firefighters who battled this blaze in the 100 block of Santa Ana Boulevard that was reported at 2:27 a.m. was injured.

OCFA and SAPD investigators are continuing to work to identify the arson suspect(s) and make an arrest.

A massive fire broke out at the abandoned United Presbyterian Church in DTSA this morning

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A massive fire broke out early this morning, just before 3 .a.m. at the abandoned United Presbyterian Church on Santa Ana building at the 100 Block of East Santa Ana Blvd.

The fire started out as a 3 alarm fire but it quickly became a 4 alarm fire with roughly 25 fire units and 100 firefighters on scene, according to the OCFA.

Early reports of an abandoned church with fire through the roof. Immediate upgrade to 3 alarms for additional resources.

The fire was declared knocked down at 4:38 a.m. No injuries to firefighters were reported at that time.

Fire units stayed on the scene for an extended amount of time to conduct overhaul and to begin a fire investigation.

The OCFA reported this afternoon that the burned building was not in use, and it was assessed at $2.2 million. It is a complete loss.

Fire investigators are still on scene and are still conducting their investigation.

Santa Ana City Councilman Phil Bacerra reported on Facebook this morning that the United Presbyterian Church congregation initially met at the home of James McFadden and then subsequently in other church buildings. The building that was destroyed by fire today was dedicated on May 22, 1912. It was just 15 days shy of its 108th birthday.

While the fire was tragic at least now the NIMBYs won’t be able to stop new development from happening at this location.

Firefighters rescued a woman and her dog from the Santa Ana River

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O.C. firefighters located a woman who had fallen into the Santa Ana River, at McFadden and the Santa Ana Riverbed, and were able to get her and her dog, a boxer, out 17 minutes after time of dispatch, according to the OCFA.

The boxer had gone into the riverbed near 5th Street in Santa Ana during a walk, and the dog’s owner tried to recover the dog, according to the OCFA. But they were swept away by the running water.

The woman was checked by firefighter paramedics and it was determined she was stable. Both were unharmed.

Firefighters are trying to rescue a woman who fell in the Santa Ana River

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The OCFA reported about 25 minutes ago that a swift water rescue is underway. Apparently they are trying to save a woman who was swept downstream in the Santa Ana riverbed.

There are reports the woman fell in.

Our Facebook readers are reporting that two helicopters are flying very low somewhere between Harbor and Fairview near McFadden. This is most likely the rescue effort.

A person was ejected from a vehicle in a Santa Ana car accident today

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O.C. firefighters and two Care ambulances as well as SAPD police officers responded to a major traffic collision at Warner Av & Raitt St. at about 12:15 p.m. today, according to the OCFA’s Twitter account.

The fire crews found two vehicles involved with one person ejected from a vehicle.

Two of the patients were transported to a trauma center by firefighter paramedics.

The car accident occurred near Adams Park.

More than half (range: 53%-62%) of teens (13-19 years) and adults aged 20-44 years who died in crashes in 2016 were not buckled up at the time of the crash, according to the CDC. A total of 23,714 drivers and passengers in passenger vehicles died in motor vehicle crashes in 2016.

Firefighters put out a structure fire in Santa Ana this morning

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One of our Facebook readers reported earlier today that something was going on at McFadden and Bristol involving paramedics, firefighters and police. Now we know what happened.

The OCFA reported on Twitter that there was a structure fire at 9:33 a.m. Another reader sent us the address, which came from the Pulse Point app. The fire happened at 1317 W. McFadden.

The fire was deemed to be caused by electrical failure of an outside refrigerator. The fire extended into the home but was held to one interior room by quick aggressive firefighting from the OCFA firefighters.

There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians. Unfortunately eight adults and ten children were displaced as a result of the fire.

The OCFA reminds us to have an exit plan in place and review it multiple times with our children.

COVID-19 is now spreading at the community level in Orange County

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An OCFA firefighter was recently diagnosed with COVID-19. the OCFA responded to this on Twitter with this alarming message:

OCFA firefighters have responded to many medical aid requests from patients with symptoms that may be consistent with COVID-19. At this point it is a community-wide exposure level, and it is difficult to always narrow it down to a source patient.

In related news the O.C. Health Care Agency announced that going forward they to will no longer be differentiating between COVID-19 patients who were travelers and those who caught it in the community.

Currently we are up to 65 COVID-19 patients in Orange County, according to the O.C. Health Care Agency. They have identified that 26 of those cases were Community Acquired. You can expect that number to keep going up.

Also, for the first time, county officials reported that a child under the age of 18 has been diagnosed with the virus. Thirty-three cases are reported in people ages 18-49, 19 between the ages of 50-64 and 12 in people older than 65. Thirty-nine of the confirmed cases are male and 26 are female, according to CBS.

The controls put in place by California Governor Gavin Newsom and most cities and counties, including the City of Santa Ana and Orange County, should help. However too many people are still acting in risky fashion.

Tips from the O.C. Health Care Agency:

  • High-risk populations which include older adults (ages 65 and higher) as well as people who have serious, chronic medical conditions (like heart disease, diabetes and lung disease) are at higher risk for contracting COVID-19. These individuals should self-isolate at home.
  • Residents should practice good health hygiene which includes washing your hands, staying home if you are sick, avoiding close contact with people who are sick and covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue or your sleeve (not hands).
  • Minimizing risk through social distancing whenever possible which includes avoiding attendance at large gatherings (250 people or more). Small gatherings should be limited to no more than 10 people and provide social distancing of six feet per person.
  • Maintain vigilance and personal readiness which includes being prepared if there is COVID-19 in your household or a disruption of daily activities in your community. For example, maintain a supply of medications, food and other essentials in your house.
  • Call ahead: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, stay home while you are ill. If you need to seek medical care, call your health care provider first so that appropriate precautions can be taken.

For the most updated information on this outbreak please visit CDC COVID-19.

A pick-up truck hit a bicyclist in the French Park neighborhood today

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O.C.F.A. Firefighters responded to N. French St. & E. Civic Center Dr., in Santa Ana, in the French Park Neighborhood, this morning for an auto vs pedestrian incident, according to the OCFA.

Firefighters utilized airbags to lift the vehicle off the pedestrian who was on a bicycle and were able to extricate him rapidly.

OCFA paramedics provided treatment & transported the patient to the hospital.

The cause of the incident is being investigated by the Santa Ana Police Department.

With everything going on, please focus on your surroundings if you’re on the road.