Irvine: Fire At Irvine Valley College Prompts Hazmat Response, Injures Fireman

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03.29.2020 | 2:29 AM | IRVINE – A fireman suffered from minor injuries after a fire at Irvine Valley College prompted a hazmat response, early Sunday morning.

Authorities responded to reports of an automatic smoke detector alarm at the Irvine Valley College Business Science Technology & Innovation Center located in the 5500 block of Irvine Center Drive around 2:29 AM.

Units arriving on scene located the two-story building that houses classrooms, administrative offices, and a server room charged with smoke and a strong smell of burning electrical.

Firefighters entered the building and determined the fire was coming from an information technology room with hazardous batteries possibly inside.

Due to the dangers posed by the hazardous materials reported to be inside, crews exited the building and requested additional resources including a hazmat team.

After additional crews arrived on scene firefighters entered the building again and determined the fire had been extinguished by the fire sprinklers.

It did not appear that any batteries were on fire but hazmat crews were remaining on scene to perform pH checks within the building.

One firefighter suffered from a burning sensation to his eyes and was being treated on scene.

Fire investigators are on scene working to determine the circumstances surrounding the apparent electrical fire.

The Irvine Valley College campus is closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic but it was unclear if the fire might impact online and distance education.

Miles Madison

Miles started reporting breaking news in 2015 and has been providing high-quality news video and timely reports from the Orange County area ever since. Combining his experience as a seasoned photojournalist, radio operator and sleuth, Miles provides unrivaled multimedia news reports.