At 1:03 p.m. this afternoon, Kern County Fire Department received reports of a grass fire in the 4600 block of State Road. Huge columns of smoke were coming from a commercial building on that street, which led to the decision to call for a second alarm. This essentially makes the call to double the amount of resources to fight the fire, to ensure we can get the fire under control quickly. Once our crews got on scene, they saw the building fully involved in flames. Kern County Firefighters made a defensive attack on the fire in order to control the fire and limit its' spread. There were three separate suites in the building on fire, totaling approximately 20,000 square feet. The roof collapsed, as well as part of the building itself. Traffic in the area was shut down for a short while to give firefighters the space they needed to fight the fire. No one was hurt. The cause is undetermined at this time. 

Since this call initially came in reported as a grass fire, this is a good reminder to clear any and all potential hazards away from your home whether you live in the mountain areas and have to clear 100 feet, or in urban areas that could be close to grassy fields, dry canal beds, and other homes and businesses.