Investigating The Cause Of That Three Alarm Structure Fire In Oxnard Tuesday Night

Wednesday March 06, 2024

(Photos by Timothy Gonzalez)

      Updated--As firefighters continue to make sure every last ember is extinguished in what's left of that former lemon packing plant in Oxnard, investigators are trying to determine what started the three alarm blaze that left the nearly 200,000 square foot structure gutted.

     The blaze broke out shortly before 10:30 PM Tuesday night at the vacant building located along Colonia road on the east side of Oxnard Boulevard.

     More than 80 firefighters from four departments battled the flames all night and were successful in keeping the fire contained to the structure that Oxnard Fire Battalion Chief Stephen McNaughton told KVTA was originally built in 1936.

     While train traffic on the tracks that run along the west side of the property were reopened and Oxnard Boulevard was also reopened, Colonia Road in front of the property was still closed.

     Several schools in the are were closed Wednesday, no word from the school district about Thursday, however some power in the area was still out and that could affect a decision about a Thursday school reopening.

     The "shelter in place" order for nearby residents was lifted.

     The Ventura County APCD was monitoring air quality in the area that they say was polluted by the fire.

     McNaughton told KVTA news that the building was sold relatively recently and was undergoing renovation.

     He said there was an incident on the property recently involving transients using fire to get at scrap metal they could sell to get money.