Homeless people may be trapped inside a collapsed pipe in El Centro
UPDATE:
The El Centro Fire Department ( ECFD ) said there was a fire that took place inside a pipe causing it to collapse. ECFD reports there might be homeless people trapped inside.
After about four hours of digging through the dirt ECFD confirmed no one was trapped inside the collapsed pipe.
The El Centro Code Enforcement notified ECFD about a homeless encampment taking place underground inside a storm draining pipe. The pipe is located just east of the Imperial Valley Mall down Wake Road.
ECFD said the fire inside the pipe caused the pipe and dirt around it to collapse. Firefighters are not sure what sparked the fire.
ECFD was concerned two homeless people were trapped inside. They say three homeless people are known to live there and only one of them had been accounted for.
El Centro Public Works crews found a mattress and other belongings from the homeless people living there.
ECFD says, fortunately, no one was trapped inside the pipe.
El Centro Public Works crews removed part of the burned plastic drainage pipe and filled the hole with dirt to stabilize the area.
