MODESTO, Calif. — Daylight Saturday revealed the estimated $1.2 million in devastation caused by a massive fire about two miles south of downtown Modesto.
A plot of land-- the size of nearly three city blocks-- was filled with charred rubble, sandwiched in between a row of trucks burnt to the ground and buildings with their own damages and char marks.
Modesto Fire Battalion Chief Jim Black said the blaze broke out in a pallet yard near Janopaul Lane and Sonora Avenue around 7:30 p.m. Friday.
"We ended up having 18 engineers here, five truck companies, seven chiefs, a bulldozer, and our utility skid steer," Black said. "We had help from several other agencies. We actually had a strike team from San Joaquin County come in for backfill to cover some of our stations."
All of that attention from crews on the ground proved to be no match for the relentlessness of 200,000 wooden pallets ablaze, burning out of control for much of the night into Saturday morning.
"When the first engine got on scene, he realized quickly that it would be a much larger fire," said Black, adding that he expected crews to be on scene mopping up the fire into Saturday evening.
According to Black, a firefighter suffered heat-related injuries but is doing okay. Investigators don't yet know what caused the fire to spark.
The flames, as high as 50 to 60 feet, left a trail of destruction. Embers created spot fires, like one along Highway 99 which burned more than just grass.
"Several vehicles on the spot fire about an eighth of a mile away caught on fire," said Black.
Jose Bernal's eight-year-old auto body shop was much closer, just across the alley from the yard where the fire sparked.
"Everything's gone," said Bernal. "It was really hot."
His building was one of several damaged or destroyed. He says his shop is a total loss.
"My brother and another friend, they saved two of my customers' cars. But the rest caught on fire," said Bernal. "I have eight years in the business and my business was good. It (just) started getting better and better and better."
Now, it's back to square one.
"The good point is we are fine," said Bernal. "Nothing happened when I was working. So, that's the more important part."
Amid a field of destruction and with a tough job ahead, Bernal can only seek comfort in that silver lining-- that all of his employees are okay.
"I don't have words," said Bernal. "Because I need to think (about) how I'm going to start again."
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