Firefighter injured in massive warehouse fire in Riverside County

A five-alarm fire outside a Riverside County warehouse has left one firefighter injured as crews continue to battle Monday afternoon.

The fire was reported at 1:32 p.m. in the 22000 block of Opportunity Way at Capitol Logistics, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection/Riverside County Fire Department. At least 10 acres of cardboard and outside storage are involved, fire officials said. One firefighter suffered injuries that were not life threatening.

Roads are closed on Opportunity Way between Van Buren Boulevard and Meridian Parkway, officials said.

The cardboard, containing clothing and other items, was 15 to 20 feet high, said Capt. Richard Cordova, a fire department spokesperson.

A video update posted to the fire department’s Facebook page shows large stacks of cardboard boxes containing clothing and clothes hangers outside the warehouse.

The fire entered the 500,000-square-foot building, but crews pushed the flames back outside, where the blaze remained active in the stacked boxes, Cordova said.

Crews were using a bulldozer to move unburned boxes out of the area, he said.

Lingering moisture from Tropical Storm Kay has led to flash flood warnings in the Inland Empire, but little rain has fallen so far at the fire scene, Cordova said.

Firefighters were making good progress, but the blaze was not yet knocked down early Monday evening.

In addition to the Riverside crew, personnel from other agencies — including March Air Reserve Base, the California Highway Patrol, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and fire personnel from Corona and Hemet — are on the scene, Cordova said.

This is a developing story and will be updated.