SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A National City firefighter was injured Thursday while working to extinguish a fire that erupted in a riverbed near Plaza Bonita Mall.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the fire was reported at about 7 a.m. in a homeless encampment in brush off northbound Interstate 805 near eastbound state Route 54.
The fire was located in an area behind the Outback Steakhouse restaurant on the mall property.
During the firefighting effort, a National City firefighter suffered a burn injury to his back after he stepped into a hole filled with water and fell onto flames. He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
At 8:10 a.m., the CHP issued a Sig Alert due to the firefighting response, which included support from a water-dropping helicopter. The northbound I-805 transition ramp to eastbound SR-54 was shut down, but all lanes were reopened by 8:30 a.m.
National City Fire Department officials said the blaze was knocked down just before 8:40 a.m.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
