Locals react to fire tearing through abandoned home in Westmorland

WESTMORLAND, Calif. (KYMA) - Locals in Westmorland are reacting to a three-alarm fire tearing through an abandoned home in Westmorland spreading to next door properties.

The fire happened at around 3 a.m. Sunday in the area of C Street, near the Westmorland Community Presbyterian Church.

When the Westmorland Fire Department (WFD) realized the extent of the fire, the following fire agencies were called to help them:

• Imperial County Fire Department
• El Centro Fire Department
• NAF-El Centro Fire
• Brawley Fire Department
• Calexico Fire Department
• Holtville Fire Department
• Centinella State Prison
• Calipatria State Prison
• Calipatria Fire Department

"It was a second alarm, we hit a third alarm because next door, with a resident in there actually caught on fire also. So, we had fire on all areas of the building. Everywhere, we were trying. We had engines in the alley trying to stop it as much as we could, but the wind wasn't in our favor," said Chief Cesar Zarate with WFD.

A resident in the home on the other side of the fire was evacuated, and Social Services were called to help her with finding a safe place to go.

Chief Zarate says they were able to save the prayer area of the church, but the rest of the building was not spared, and the wind was very powerful, causing the fire to spread rapidly.

"It's been a vacant lot next to the church for many years. An abandoned home that we knew, you know, this was our biggest fear and it happened. All of our social hall, and other buildings and Sunday school classrooms are all gone," said Carrie Augusta with the Westmorland Community Presbyterian Church.

Church members and Westmorland Fire Marshal Jesse Zendejas say they have been reporting the abandoned property for years, and nothing has been done.

"The city, other official building officials, fire chief have determined that this property was a fire hazard and a nuisance so we wanted to get it cleaned up. And it's been at least for the last five years we've been asking them to clean it up," Fire Marshal Zendejas shared.