LA VERNE, Calif. (KABC) — A fire erupted at a battery storage unit at a Metropolitan Water District facility in La Verne Tuesday, prompting nearby schools to evacuate.
The fire was reported around 11:40 a.m. near a solar panel field on the northeast side of the facility in the 3200 block of Wheeler Avenue. Crews from the La Verne Fire Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department responded.
One employee suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital, according to La Verne Fire Department Battalion Chief Mark Savage.
Evacuation orders were issued for the immediate area surrounding the facility, while evacuation warnings were issued for areas to the north and east. Click here to see if you are in an impacted area.
La Verne police said shopping centers along Wheeler Avenue north of Foothill Boulevard were evacuated as a precaution.
Grace Miller Elementary School, located just east of the facility, was under a shelter-in-place order, and Holly Oak Street south of the campus was closed to traffic. Savage said students appeared to be released from the school while firefighters battled the blaze.
Parents told Eyewitness News that Ramona Middle School and Bonita High School were also affected. Holy Name of Mary School, Damien High School and the University of La Verne were evacuated. The university said all classes were canceled until further notice.
The Metropolitan Water District said its water supply was not affected by the fire.
This is a breaking news story. More details will be added as more information becomes available.
City News Service contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2026 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.
Leave a Reply