Fire erupts at hay export business
Multiple hay stacks were consumed when a fourth-alarm fire erupted Friday night at Wilbur-Ellis Co. on West Danenberg Road, county Sheriff’s Office activity logs stated.
The fire burned multiple stacks of hay at the business, which is a hay exporter company located just across the street from Imperial Valley Mall.
The fire was contained to the business, which is a hay exporter located across from Imperial Valley Mall. The haystacks continued to burn throughout Saturday while being monitored by fire department personnel.
It was unknown as of press time how much hay was lost in the fire. A majority of the haystacks were under a shed, which was 200 to 300 feet long.
The fire was first reported to 911 at 7:23 p.m. A portion of Danenberg, as well as Dogwood Road, was closed off to public traffic.
El Centro Fire Department was the first to arrive on scene, and immediately requested second-alarm assistance. A fourth-alarm was requested just before 8 p.m.
Imperial County, Westmorland, Calexico and Holtville fire departments, as well as fire personnel from the city of Yuma, provided assistance.
A majority of personnel cleared from the scene by 2 a.m. Saturday. A similar haystack fire occurred at the business in October 2017.
Imperial Irrigation District personnel located a silver vehicle submerged in a canal near Mead and Dogwood roads on Saturday morning, county Sheriff’s Office activity logs stated.
The make or model of the vehicle wasn’t identified in the logs. The vehicle was believed to have been in the canal since approximately 2 a.m. Saturday.
IID personnel requested the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office dive team for assistance about 5:50 a.m.
No further information was immediately available.