A cloud of black smoke seen east of Santa Paula Wednesday turned out to be a fire in a large container of petroleum-based foam used to soften the landings of off-road motorcyclists attempting aerial stunts.

Piru motorcycle stunt foam container catches fire, SPFD also responds

December 18, 2009
Santa Paula News


A cloud of black smoke seen east of Santa Paula Wednesday turned out to be a fire in a large container of petroleum-based foam used to soften the landings of off-road motorcyclists attempting aerial stunts. The fire, located along the 5600 block of Holser Canyon Road at a ranch just outside Piru, broke out at about 2:50 p.m., according to a Ventura County Fire Department spokesman. 

The fire, the cause of which is still being investigated, burned inside a container of foam three stories tall and more than 100 feet long, sending up a plume of black smoke that could be seen for miles. About 20 firefighters responded, including some from Santa Paula. 

Santa Paula Fire Chief Rick Araiza said the container - filled with foam cubes - is located “behind a professional race track out there... the motorcyclists jump into the foam and they have cranes that pull the bikes out of there after they do practice flips” and other stunts. Araiza said at the time the fire broke out a snowmobile was conducting stunts that ended in the container.

Santa Paula Fire was the second engine on the scene, and VCFD firefighters stationed at Camarillo Airport responded with a fire-suppressing spray used for intensely hot flames created by fuel fires. The spray and the large amounts of water used to drown the fire quickly extinguished the blaze, which was knocked down by about 3:30 p.m.

At the time the fire broke out, Ventura County code enforcement personnel were on scene investigating complaints involving the foam pit. Scott Price, the owner of the property, has faced $625 in penalties since July for several code violations, including operating an amusement park ride and the foam pit - the scene of a November 2008 fire - without a permit.





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