Lake Elsinore-Wildomar, CA – A man was critically burned in a kitchen explosion near the town, with RivCo Sheriff’s deputies being the first to respond to the scene. On Thursday morning, emergency responders were called to a church property in Good Hope, where a commercial kitchen blast occurred, resulting in a fire that led to one person sustaining critical burn injuries. Cal Fire spokesperson Tawny Castro reported that the injured individual was airlifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The explosion took place around 10:15 a.m. at a property located on 24101 Christmas Tree Lane near Slaughter Road in an unincorporated area near Perris. Firefighters faced challenges reaching the site due to the poor road conditions leading to the church property. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrived first and discovered the severely burned man, prompting a medical evacuation helicopter to be called in for swift transportation to a hospital.
Fortunately, no other individuals were harmed in the explosion. Firefighters worked diligently to contain the blaze in the 200-square-foot building, which had partially collapsed upon their arrival. By 11 a.m., the fire was completely under control, with crews expected to remain at the scene throughout the afternoon for salvage and overhaul operations.
The cause of the explosion remains unknown, with authorities summoning technicians from both SoCal Edison and SoCal Gas Co. for further investigation. The location, known as the Kamlim Retreat Center and undergoing renovation in 2019, did not provide any immediate comments. Additional details about the incident were not readily available, leaving the community and authorities to speculate on the possible triggers that led to the catastrophic event.