Crime & Safety

Home, Apartments Destroyed by Fire on 70th Street

A stubborn fire erupts at a residence on the south side of Lake Murray.

A home and a two-story apartment unit on the 4000 block of 70th Street were destroyed by a fire Friday afternoon that sent a plume of smoke into the sky above La Mesa that could be seen for miles. A Heartland Fire & Rescue spokeswoman said there were no injuries and approximately 30 firefighters had the fire under control in about an hour.

The apartment unit located behind the house was in flames as firefighters arrived just after 5:20 p.m., according to Monica Zech, public information officer for Heartland Fire. The home soon ignited and firefighters poured water onto the blaze from two ladder trucks assisted by seven engines on the scene, according to Zech. No flames reached nearby homes.

Extensive clutter found in the home and garage areas of the apartment units made the fire difficult to put out, according to Zech, and several abandoned vehicles were on the property. The home and apartment units are considered a total loss by Heartland Fire.

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Heartland Fire crews from La Mesa were assisted by crews from Lemon Grove, Santee Fire and San Diego Fire & Rescue. The cause is under investigation.

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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