Calif. Highway Patrol Officer Injured Responding to Fully Engulfed Freeway Car Fire

At least one CHP officer was injured while responding to a vehicle fire on Interstate 215, where two people were hospitalized after a car became fully engulfed in flames.

By Emily Mcginn

Source The Press-Enterprise

Oct. 26, 2026

2 min read

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A California Highway Patrol officer suffered minor injuries while responding to a vehicle fire on Interstate 215 near the Riverside-Moreno Valley border.
The burning vehicle was fully engulfed by the time firefighters arrived, and two civilians were injured and taken to a hospital.
Authorities have not released details about how the CHP officer was injured during the response.

California Highway Patrol cruiser — A California Highway Patrol officer was hospitalized after responding to a Sunday vehicle fire on Interstate 215, though officials have not revealed what led to the injury.

At least one California Highway Patrol officer was injured while responding to a car fire on the 215 Freeway near the border of Riverside and Moreno Valley on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 25.

CHP officers responded just after 3:15 p.m. to a car fire on the northbound side of the 215, just north of Eucalyptus Avenue approaching the 215 Freeway/60 Freeway interchange. People were trying to push the car out of the lanes of traffic and there appeared to be flames coming from the hood, according to the CHP incident log.

The car was fully engulfed when Cal Fire/ Riverside County crews arrived on scene just before 3:30 p.m., said Cal Fire/ Riverside spokesperson Maggie Cline De La Rosa. Two people were injured and were hospitalized, said De La Rosa.

At least one CHP officer was injured during the response, a CHP desk officer confirmed on Sunday evening. The officer was hospitalized with minor injuries. Details about the circumstances that led to the officer’s injuries remained unclear as of Sunday evening.

Firefighters fully contained the fire around 3:50 p.m., said De La Rosa. Riverside police also responded with hazmat support to assist fire officials.

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