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Fire Burns 25 Cars in North San Juan Wrecking Yard
Published on May 5, 2008 - 5:34:19 PM
By: YubaNet
Click image to view full size. Photo: YubaNet
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NORTH SAN JUAN Calif., May 5, 2008 - On Sunday afternoon, at 4:17 p.m. a call from the Whittlesey Wrecking Yard in North San Juan to the Grass Valley Dispatch Center reported a fire on their premises. The fire started at the wrecking yard when a customer cut parts from a junk car. The dark column of smoke was visible from a distance, right before some thunder cells moved over the area.
North San Juan Fire responded and was assisted by both Pike and Consolidated fire districts. Chief Boyd Johnson had four water tenders on hand, with a total capacity of 10,000 gallons. Eight firefighters from his department and mutual aid engines worked until 7:30 p.m. to mop up the incident. The fire, burning in a gravel area, did not escape into the wildland.
With the proximity of Shady Creek, Johnson decided to minimize the runoff impact to the creek. Assisted by the Whittlesey Wrecking Yard owners and staff, firefighters moved some cars away from the burning pile. Then, one by one, the burnt cars were foamed to extinguish any smoldering flames.
The yard owners used their two loaders to move cars away from the burn. "We used only 700 gallons of water, thanks to their cooperation and the efforts of the firefighters," Johnson said. The wrecking yard often cooperates with the all-volunteer fire department, making cars available for extrication trainings or vehicle fire exercises.
The North San Juan Fire Department covers 70 square miles of the San Juan Ridge, including the historic communities of French Corral, North Columbia and North San Juan. Its borders include the South and Middle Forks of the Yuba River, from Bridgeport in the West to roughly the east entrance to Malakoff Diggins State Park in the East, according to their website. The next scheduled event for the fire department is the 47th Mothers' Day Scotch Broom Breakfast, Raffle, and Plant Sale on May 11, at the Community Hall in downtown North San Juan, beginning at 8:00 a.m.
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