Fire Burns Behind Businesses In Mission Viejo

MISSION VIEJO, CA — A hillside behind a Mission Viejo industrial complex caught fire Thursday afternoon. Multiple residents called in, reporting a column of smoke seen from across Mission Viejo starting at 1 p.m. Thursday.

Emergency vehicles from Orange County Fire Authority rushed to the scene of Via Fabricante at Taladro Circle just before 1:30 p.m., OCFA spokesperson Capt. Thanh Nguyen told Patch.

That section of the roadway was closed as of 1:45 p.m.

Mission Viejo-Firefighters are on scene in the 23700 block of Via Fabricante for a vegetation fire. #alisofire pic.twitter.com/Xys9ZtbxG9
— OCFA PIO (@OCFA_PIO) December 17, 2020

Metrolink has shut down traffic in both directions between Irvine and Laguna Niguel, for the safety of the firefighters at work near the tracks.

IEOC Line 815 to Oceanside will use track 1 at Irvine and will hold at the Irvine station due to track closure between Irvine & Laguna Niguel. Updates to follow.
— Metrolink (@Metrolink) December 17, 2020

"An industrial area caught fire down by the train tracks and ran uphill through vegetation," Nguyen told Patch. "Firefighters got water on it quickly."

The businesses were thought to be unharmed as of this report.

Fire investigators are researching the origin of the blaze. Meanwhile, firefighters remained at work into the afternoon, mopping up the scene and seeking out hot spots.

This will be updated.