House, explosives burn – as planned
Hot fire minimized risk of explosion
SAN DIEGO – After a final thumbs-up from meteorologists and bomb experts, authorities used a remote-controlled device Thursday morning to set fire to a house on the outskirts of Escondido containing massive amounts of bomb-making material.
The fire was set shortly after 10:30 a.m. upon the order of San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore.
Bomb squad specialists from local and outside authorities said a quick, hot fire should destroy the dangerous materials without explosions.
Officials said the fire went exactly as planned: burning very fast, no big explosions, with a large plume of black smoke rising directly overhead and then drifting east.
To help the fire reach temperatures of 1,800 degrees or more, holes were bored Thursday morning in the roof of the one-story home to provide the fire with the oxygen needed to burn quickly. The normal house fire is about 1,200 degrees, fire officials said.
A 16-foot wall was built between the home and its closest neighbor. A fire-retardant gel was spread Thursday morning on the wall. Vegetation was cut to keep the fire from spreading. Two fire departments were standing by.
Initially, officials had hoped to start the fire Wednesday. That was delayed until Thursday because weather specialists were concerned about wind.
A series of explosives experts have said that burning the house is the best alternative and that returning into the house to remove the chemicals, which are the same as those used by terrorist bombers, would be too dangerous. The house is so stuffed that walking amid the explosives was nearly impossible, officials said.
Meanwhile, George Jakubec, 54, the tenant who had lived in the home for three years, remains in federal prison in downtown San Diego on bomb-making and bank robbery charges.
Emergency declarations by the county and by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger allowed officials to destroy the house as a threat to public safety. The owner will not be compensated, officials said, and was reportedly in negotiations with his insurance agent.