Fire clean-up begins in Tijuana while firefighters continue battling blazes in Tecate, Ensenada - The San Diego Union-Tribune
Fire clean-up begins in Tijuana while firefighters continue battling blazes in Tecate, Ensenada - The San Diego Union-Tribune |
| Posted: 26 Oct 2019 12:00 AM PDT  Neighbors in Tijuana began sorting through the rubble of their fire-ravaged homes Saturday, as firefighters across Baja California continued battling deadly blazes in Tecate and Ensenada. At least eight fires swept across four Baja California cities Friday, damaging or destroying hundreds of homes and buildings, and killing at least three people across the state. "This is the strongest Santa Ana wind-related fires ever to strike Baja California in its history, due to the number of cities and houses affected and the number of people that have perished," Baja California's Director of Civil Protection Antonio Rosquillas said. The gusts had started to die down by midday Saturday, and firefighters were hopeful winds would remained calm through Sunday so they could get a handle on the two remaining blazes. In Colonia Anabel, the mayor of Tijuana met with residents whose homes were destroyed or damaged. Melaniae Badillo Serrano, 19, showed Tijuana Mayor Arturo González Cruz the fire's destruction through her neighborhood. "I feel a little more fortunate because there are some people who have nothing left," Badillo Serrano told the Union-Tribune. "My house is relatively good. It is only flooded, but my room is a total loss." The back of Badillo Serrano's house was completely blackened and covered in soot. A couple inches of standing water flooded her living room. "So, it feels a little bad to think about all the belongings you had that no longer exist, but we must continue on because there are more real things in life. For example, my father was in there and the neighbors were here," said Badillo Serrano, who added her family all made it out of the blaze without being injured. Another neighbor who completely lost her home was crying and too emotional to talk. Badillo Serrano said the blaze started as a kitchen fire three houses down but the flames were driven down the street by the strong Santa Ana winds. The Tijuana Fire Department reported that hundreds had been evacuated from their homes, mostly in the Xicotencatl and Real del Mar in Playas de Tijuana neighborhoods. Most people had returned home by late Saturday evening with only a handful remaining in a city shelter. González Cruz said at least 61 structures had been damaged or destroyed within the municipality of Tijuana with the Xicotencatl neighborhood suffering the most damage. He said seven homes were destroyed in the Colonia Anabel neighborhood he visited, which is a lower income and working class neighborhood in eastern Tijuana. More homes were destroyed across the state of Baja California. "We must be the first to set an example to show the citizens that they are not alone," said González Cruz, adding that residents who lost their homes may be eligible for compensation from insurance purchased by the city with their property taxes. "We have already contacted the insurance company, and all citizens who lived through this incident and who have their property tax payment and made their payment within the first three months of the year, have an insurance policy of up to 100,000 pesos," he said. That amounts to about $5,200. City officials declared a state of alert Friday, one step down from a state of emergency. The new mayor said on Monday the city government would meet with the Civil Protection Commission to ask for any additional support and resources for Tijuana residents who lost their homes. In the upscale Real del Mar neighborhood, residents fought off flames with garden hoses Friday, and managed to save one home from total destruction. "If we were not here, his house would have burned," said José Luis Galindo, referring to his neighbor. Galindo described how quickly the flames shot up a hill Friday, threatening dozens of homes. "It was like it was raining flames," said Galindo. He described one fire coming toward his street on one side of the hill and another fire from the other direction on the other side of the canyon. He pointed out a trampoline that was carried by the heavy winds from a neighbor's backyard into the canyon, at least the length of a football field. "We just continued pouring water and pouring water so it would not burn," he said. "The windows exploded because of the heat." Firefighters returned to Real del Mar Saturday morning to put out several hot spots on a hill overlooking the ocean. Private maintenance crews removed scorched debris. Other Tijuana firefighters went to Ensenada to help battle blazes there, after spending a full day Friday putting out flames across the city. They joined hundreds of other firefighters there. In Tecate, the fire burned more than 90 houses and left two people dead and two others injured, authorities said. In Rosarito, one person died in a structure fire. Rosquillas said the Tecate fire was about 80 percent contained on Saturday. Firefighters had 60 percent of the fire in Ensenada surrounded by late afternoon, he said. By Sunday he expected the fires would be fully contained if the winds did not pick up again. The state government of Baja California held a meeting Saturday morning with a coalition of municipal, state and federal public safety officials and elected officials to review how all the different governments worked together as the fires raged through several different municipalities. Coronel Manuel Bravo Alfonso from the newly formed National Guard said a Black Hawk helicopter was sent in overnight to help firefighters in Baja California and the National Forestry Commission fight the blazes from the sky. State officials said thousands of hectares of land burned, but as of early Saturday morning they did not have an exact count on how many. Late Saturday, the Ministry of Tourism of Baja California issued a statement recognizing the "great job the Fire Departments of Tijuana, Rosarito, and Ensenada have done, and their bravery." The organization that promotes tourism in Baja California also reminded visitors the state is open for business. "To all travelers interested in visiting Baja California this weekend and in the coming days, we would like to share that all fires, as of now, are under control and no longer represent a danger for locals or visitors," their statement said. Classes were suspended Friday from preschools to universities — both private and public — in the cities of Tijuana, Tecate and Rosarito. It was unclear if classes will resume Monday. |
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