Flames Engulf Large Building At Witch Creek Egg Ranch

WITCH CREEK, CA —A fire of unknown origin leveled a 25,000-square- foot commercial structure Thursday at an egg ranch in the rural eastern highlands of San Diego County.

The blaze erupted at about 5:30 p.m. in the 25800 block of state Route 78 in the rural Witch Creek community, northeast of Ramona, according to Cal Fire.

Ground crews and personnel in air tankers and water-dropping helicopters battled the flames, primarily working to keep them from spreading to other large buildings on the property or into surrounding foliage, said Cal Fire Capt. Mike Cornette.

Firefighters were able to isolate the blaze to the structure where it originated and had it contained as of about 6:45 p.m., Cornette said.

It was not immediately clear what the gutted building had contained, though it was believed to have been a coop facility, according to Cal Fire.

The cause of the blaze, which resulted in no reported injuries, was under investigation, Cornette said.

— City News Service