Fire Rips Through Abandoned Retirement Home in Riverside

A six-alarm fire burned for hours at an abandoned retirement home near downtown Riverside on Sunday night as gusty winds whipped the area.

The blaze was reported about 4:30 p.m. at 2450 Market Street. By 11 p.m., the second flood had collapsed and firefighters continued to battle flare-ups.

The building at that address was known as Monte Vista Terrace when it operated as an assisted living facility. It's unclear how long it had been uninhabited.

Neighbors said they were concerned about the possible spread of embers by gusty winds.

"I don’t want to go to sleep yet because of this wind, I don’t know what direction that fire is going to hit,” said neighbor Vanessa Elias.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Neighbors said the building has been inhabited by the homeless.

The facility is less than a mile southeast of the junction of the 60 and 91 freeways. Firefighters called for closures of several nearby streets.

City News Service contributed to this report.
 

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