FIREFIGHTERS BATTLE FIRE IN NORTH JOSHUA TREE SATURDAY NIGHT

Firefighters battled for an hour to control a structure fire in north Joshua Tree Friday night. According to County Fire Battalion Chief Mike Snow, firefighters from Yucca Mesa, Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, and Twentynine Palms called to the structure fire at 9:04 p.m. found heavy smoke and flames showing from the garage/workshop in the 63000 block of La Brisa Drive. Snow said firefighters had a hard time getting control of the blaze because it had spread to the second floor and attic of the building, and because the building had so many additions and areas not easily accessed. According to Snow, the cause of the fire is believed to have been an electrical overload from an electrical cart being plugged into the wrong outlet. Snow said the loss is valued at about $60,000.