Minor injuries occur in Orange County as the historic Intestine has been burning since around 1 o’clock this morning. KTLA’s Carlos Herrera is live near the scene with the latest updates.
Good morning Carlos. It is truly a tragic morning here in Testing. It is heartbreaking to see such an iconic and historic place, a unique one, burning like it is this morning. You can see the flames burning up on the side of the structure. Officials are expected to continue letting it burn on the side and to get onto the other side.
They mentioned that for now, it is safe to simply let it burn. Unfortunately, there is literally nothing we can do about it at this point. We, as firefighters, are unable to enter the hangar due to concerns of it collapsing without risking our lives. Crews are expected to let the structure burn for several days, even weeks, before it is safe for firefighters to enter. This morning, helicopters have been dropping thousands of gallons on it.
The Orange County Fire Authority brought out these helicopters, which are generally used to fight large vegetation fires. However, due to the size and complexity of this blaze, the agency is utilizing all the tools in its toolbox. The fire on the north hangar broke out shortly after 1:00 AM, and when units arrived, they realized the flames were out of control and called for backup. Nearly 60 firefighters from several nearby agencies were on site trying to save the structure.
Unfortunately, it was too late. If you live in the area, you know how historic the old U.S. military bases are.
These twin blimps have stood tall since World War 2 and are two of the world’s largest freestanding wooden structures. Both are listed in the Register of National Historic Places.
People this morning are understandably devastated. “I’m from a family of pilots, and that used to be an air base. There’s a lot of history with these hangars.
They’re beautiful, you know? If anything happens to them, they’re not going to be rebuilt. They’re a part of history, and it’s just sad to see them go up in flames. They’re beautiful, and they’re part of Testing, and they’re gorgeous,” says a resident. Testing Mayor Austin Lumber tells us this morning that he will be fighting for a specific plan to save and protect the hangar on the south side, which thankfully was not impacted by the blaze..
