Mountain View, CA – The aftermath of a Christmas Day inferno has left a section of El Camino Real in Mountain View closed as crews work to safely tear down the remains of a commercial building gutted by the blaze. The closure affects the eastbound traffic between San Antonio Road and Sherwood Avenue, as the Mountain View officials have indicated the detour is expected to be in place for up to three weeks while demolition and cleanup are completed, according to city officials. Commuters must navigate an alternative route, diverting traffic to turn left onto San Antonio Road and then to California Street, Showers Drive, and back onto El Camino Real. Drivers should plan to give themselves some extra time to reach their destinations.
The joint effort by the Santa Clara County Fire Department and Mountain View and Palo Alto units was key to quickly containing what could have been an even more disastrous event. As reported by Hoodline, the building fire needed a defensive strategy to be adopted quickly to ensure firefighter safety. This approach is utilized when the risk is deemed too high or direct engagement is ineffective in battling the flames.
No injuries have been reported, which is considered fortunate given the size and intensity of the fire that engulfed the over 20,000-square-foot building on the Los Altos-Mountain View border. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation. The building has been marked as unsafe, and local businesses and commuters were witness to the impactful sight as the fire consumed the building.
The Los Altos Police Department communicated via Facebook that the road closure might remain necessary for up to two weeks to ensure public safety. Local authorities are still urging the public to steer clear of the area to avoid further disruption and to continue the demolition process smoothly.
