The San Marino Fire Department responded to a vegetation fire at The Huntington on April 21 after security discovered smoke in a remote area of the property at about 2:30 p.m. Authorities were immediately alerted.
Engine 91 and Battalion 9 responded and found a quarter-acre vegetation fire along the Avondale side of the property. The fire was promptly contained by the efforts of the firefighters and extinguished within 15 minutes.
As a precautionary measure, the area of the gardens involved in the fire were temporarily closed to ensure the safety of visitors.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. There were no reported injuries to staff or guests, and no damage to any buildings or The Huntington’s historic collections.
“I am proud of the daily work our firefighters put in to ensure that we provide the fastest possible response times and the highest levels of service when responding to calls,” said Fire Chief Mario Rueda. “We are incredibly appreciative of the support from our community in pursuing the training, equipment and resources needed to make calls like this a success.”
City Manager Philippe Eskandar added: “With The Huntington serving as a true landmark for us in San Marino and a keeper of such important cultural treasures, I’m thrilled that it is our trusted San Marino Fire Department that springs to action when incidents like this occur.
“Our fire and police departments, along with all our city staff, work very closely with The Huntington’s leadership to ensure the safety of the nearly 1 million guests The Huntington welcomes each year into our great city on more than 200 acres of property. This incident will serve as yet another opportunity for us to grow closer together as we look for new ways to build on the safety of our great city and the assets within it.”
First published in the April 25 issue of the San Marino Tribune
