Cause of Three Blazes at Cemex Plant in North Redlands Under Investigation

An investigation of three fires was expected to continue Monday at the Cemex cement plant on Orange Street in north Redlands, one day after the blazes destroyed a three-story building and a guard shack.

The fires were "isolated" from each other and an investigator was assigned to determine how they were connected, Battalion Chief Scott MacDonald said Monday morning.

The first fire, reported at 11:38 a.m. Sunday, burned about a half-acre of light vegetation under some power lines at Orange and Dishong Avenue, MacDonald said.

The second fire, reported at 12:28 p.m., was in the guard shack at the Cemex plant, MacDonald said.

The third and largest fire was reported at 1:08 p.m. in the three-story Cemex plant building that included administrative offices, MacDonald said.

The first two fires were contained in short order and the third fire was contained about 7 p.m. Sunday, MacDonald said.

The third-alarm response included four Redlands Fire engine crews as well as firefighters from San Bernardino, Loma Linda, Yucaipa, Highland, Colton, Rialto, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, San Bernardino County, Cal Fire, and the Forest Service, MacDonald said.

Fire crews from Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana covered the city of Redlands while Redlands crews were at the Cemex fires, MacDonald said.

No injuries were reported from any of the fires. As of Monday morning the fires were considered "isolated from each other," and no conclusions had been drawn about how they were connected, MacDonald said.

"They're potentially related but we don't know how," MacDonald said. "An investigator will be out there today."

Anyone with information about the fires and how they started was urged to call the Redlands Fire Department at (909) 798-7600.