On the evening of July 4th, fire crews from Lakeside and Barona responded to reports of a commercial structure fire on Riverside Drive, with early calls suggesting a possible trapped person. A column of black smoke was visible to incoming units.
Upon arrival, firefighters discovered that the fire was limited to a pile of burning materials along the exterior of a commercial building, inside a fenced-off area. The flames scorched the wall and left black soot but did not penetrate the structure.
A Viejas fire engine happened to be parked just feet away from the burning pile — an ironic coincidence, as the building appears to be used for repair or maintenance work, including fire equipment, though it was not active at the time.