Planned Parenthood building in El Centro caught on fire
EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - A fire broke out at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest's Imperial Valley Homan Health Center in El Centro.
According to a press release from Planned Parenthood, the fire broke out on Tuesday, August 15.
The El Centro Fire Department (ECFD) says they responded to the fire at around 1:45am and that the building was engulfed in flames.
ECFD added that the fire started at the storage yard of the Salvation Army, and appliances from the Salvation Army were also on fire. However, the Salvation Army building did not catch on fire. The fire crews took about three hours to control the fire, and many of them saved a building that Planned Parenthood owned and was under renovation.
Aid from other Imperial Valley fire departments
In addition to ECFD crews, other fire departments across the Imperial Valley responded and aided ECFD.
- Imperial Fire Department (IFD)
- Naval Air Facility El Centro (NAF-El Centro)
- Holtvile Fire Department (HFD)
- Brawley Fire Department (BFD)
Other departments assisted ECFD, including the El Centro Police Department (ECPD), Imperial Irrigation District (IID) and SoCalGas.
ECFD says they did report any injuries from El Centro residents or firefighters.
The Planned Parenthood facility's Communications Director Sandra Duran says that they are currently trying to look for a temporary location to continue providing health services.
Statement from Planned Parenthood's President and CEO
In the press release, provided by Planned Parenthood, the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest Darrah DiGiorgio Johnson released a statement saying:
"We are devastated by the fire that occurred at our Planned Parenthood Imperial Valley Homan Health Center in the early morning hours today. Fire authorities responded promptly and there were no staff or patients on the premises. At this time, we are unsure of the cause of the fire and are working with officials to complete a full investigation.
This health center has always been a beacon for access to quality and compassionate sexual and reproductive health in a medically underserved area, and served as a safe haven for people traveling from other states to access the vital care they needed and couldn’t receive elsewhere. The impact of this loss will be felt throughout the community and beyond.
For now we are focusing on ensuring our staff and our patients are well taken care of, and will continue to learn more as the investigation proceeds. We are deeply committed to this community and to rebuilding to ensure that we can continue to offer the vital and compassionate health care that people need."
ECFD says the fire is still under investigation, and KYMA will keep you updated on the story.
To learn more about the fire, read the press release below.
