Structure Fire at the Lakeside Jack in the Box

Lakeside, CA-  Lakeside firefighters were alerted at approximately 2:00 a.m. on May 25, 2011,  for reports of smoke coming from the roof of the Jack in the Box Restaurant on Woodside Avenue. When Engine and Medic 1 (Riverview station) arrived on scene, there was a steady production of heavy smoke from the parapet wall above the structure.

The concrete tiles had to be removed to get to the fire

On an initial inspection, it was discovered there was no fire in the building or on the roof; the fire was burning within the parapet wall on the northeast corner of the building. Additional units from Lakeside fire station 2 (Eucalyptus Hills) and fire station 3 (Lake Jennings) arrived quickly to aid with the suppression of the fire. Engine and Truck 4 (Santee) also responded to assist. Truck 4 used their aerial ladder to access the roof and crews went up to extinguish the fire and keep it from spreading into the restaurant below.

To access the area that was burning, many of the concrete tiles on the roof had to be removed and holes were cut into the roofline. In the end, all of the burning material was cut out of the roof and removed.  The fire never spread to the restaurant below. The fire was ultimately determined to have been caused by a malfunctioning exterior light.

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Story by:  Engineer / Paramedic Bernie Molloy, Lakeside Fire District

Picture provided by: Engineer Carl Chiodo, Lakeside Fire District