Firefighters responded to a commercial structure fire at a large, single-story gymnasium in the unincorporated area of Riverside County near Hemet on the morning of the incident, according to the Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.
The blaze was reported at 9:30 a.m. in the 26000 block of Girard Street, situated south of East Florida Avenue and east of South Santa Fe Street.
Upon arrival, the first engine company observed smoke and flames visibly issuing from the roof of the facility. Due to the size of the building and the active fire conditions, crews immediately requested a second-alarm response to bring additional resources to the scene.
Fire officials reported that the blaze was successfully confined to the building. During the incident, one civilian was evaluated on scene for injuries of unknown severity; the individual subsequently refused further medical care.
The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, and authorities have dubbed the response the “Cornerstone Incident.”
