Fire department informs about current arson investigations –

Photo by Patrick Ray

By Catherine Stachowiak and Patrick Ray

Firefighters from the Kern County Fire Department arrived at the building at 2200 Young Avenue in Lake Isabella on Thursday, April 18, according to Andrew Freeborn, public information officer for the Kern County Fire Department, who provided the Kern Valley Sun with an update on the department’s fire investigation sent Friday May 3rd.

Officers risked their own safety when they extinguished the fire on April 18, scouted the apartment and made sure no one was inside.

Future Kern Valley Sun photojournalist and web manager Patrick Ray met people claiming to be legitimate tenants when they came to retrieve their belongings from the burned-out building. The tenants claimed they were not squatters, as claimed by the building’s owner, who contacted the Kern Valley Sun.

The current results of the investigation can be found below in Freeborn’s email.

The investigation appears to be ongoing, as Freeborn has stated that the department encourages the public to report additional information to Freeborn if they have additional information.

Date: April 18, 2024

Time: 18:36

Location: 2200 Young Ave

Cause: Undetermined

INC# 2416166

Units on site: E71, E72, E76, CREW79, BATT7

Narration: Kern County firefighters were dispatched to a structure fire as dispatchers received multiple reports of a structure fire. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered a single-story mobile home with smoke coming from the back and the swamp cooler on the roof. A high casualty profile was announced and E-72 assumed “Young Command.” Firefighter 72 ran a hose over the “Bravo” side of the building to the “Charlie” side of the building where the smoke was heaviest. The captain conducted a 360-degree walk around the building and briefed Batt 7 on a transitional attack, the strategy of applying water from the outside before entering. Fire was visible from the bedroom window on the “Charlie Delta” corner and FF 72 was ordered to run his hose stream through the window. The captain was unable to contact residents or witnesses to confirm the building was unoccupied. This, along with a vehicle in the driveway, resulted in the captain and his firefighter entering the building before backup arrived. Captain 72 and Firefighter 72 conducted an initial search of the apartment using the thermal imaging camera and simultaneously attacked the source of the fire in the bedroom at the rear of the house. The search initially gave the all-clear and reported Batt 7 (IC) and that the fire had been suppressed. The cause of the fire is unknown. If members of the public have any further information about the incident, they are asked to call 1(877) 347-3847.

Andrew Freeborn

KCFD Public Information Officer