RANCHO BERNARDO, Calif. (KGTV) – All that could be heard on Wednesday morning inside of Ray Plauske’s van were the causal clicks of a hazard signal and cars flying by as flames erupted in the distance.
“Just coming under the bridge and right when it first happened … saw a puff of black smoke and called 911,” Plauske said. “Pretty intense.”
It was an intense sight for Plauske as he pulled over on Camino del Norte in Rancho Bernardo as he was heading to a plumbing job.
RELATED: Bernardo Fire forces evacuations
Plauske saw the first of many crews get to the hillside to stop the Bernardo Fire, and he told ABC 10News he saw someone getting medical attention after they were hurt by flames.
“And the guy that burned. His hands were all burnt and bandaged. I don’t know what happened or what he was doing up there with the fire,” Plauske said. “You can see him. He just sitting there shaking his head and he has bandages on his hand. Pretty horrific for him, I bet.”
San Diego Fire-Rescue Assistant Chief Dan Eddy told ABC 10News first responders did take one burn victim who was at the scene to a hospital via a helicopter.
“Looked like he was trying to put it out with his hands I bet, you know? And that’s how his hands got burnt,” Plauske said.
A hectic start of the middle of the week as the community waits for another round of fire danger weather to subside.
“The response was just amazing. They got here quick. They had helicopters dropping. They had aircraft dropping. Everybody was going at it fast,” Plauske said. “They knocked it down fast. It was a real fast response, absolutely.”
Eddy confirmed investigators were looking into the cause of the fire.
