El Cajon, CA - At approximately 3:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, March 31st, Heartland Fire & Rescue crews from El Cajon and La Mesa, assisted by crews from San Miguel Fire and Santee Fire, were dispatched to reports of a garage on fire in the 1300 block of Helix View Dr in El Cajon. Fire crews arrived within 8 minutes to discover a detached garage well involved with fire. Due to the heavy fire present, a second alarm was called for, bringing an additional four engines, ladder truck, and chief officer. The fire did extend into the main body of the house, traveling from the garage into the attic space. 2 firefighters sustained minor injuries due to a partial building collapse of the garage. They were transported to UCSD Hospital and have since been treated and released. Crews were able to control the fire within 60 minutes.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by Sheriff Bomb and Arson and El Cajon Police Dept. Estimated damage for the structure and contents is estimated at $400,000.