Fire At Temecula Abortion Clinic Under Investigation

TEMECULA, CA — An early morning fire broke out at a women's medical center that specializes in "family planning services" like abortions, birth control and pregnancy testing. Though Cal Fire officials will not yet call it "suspicious" in nature, a broken window at the scene suggests that an incendiary device may have been thrown inside and a cleanup crew at the scene told a news outlet that a Molotov cocktail may have been involved.

The Riverside County Fire Department was called to the scene at 1:01 a.m. in the 41000 block of Winchester Road, which is near Jefferson Avenue and Interstate 15. Agency Spokeswoman April Newman tells Patch that crews responded to a "water flow alarm" at the location. The building houses several medical facilities across different suites.

"When we went on scene the fire was already out, by fire sprinklers," she said.

Crews on scene reported extensive water damage throughout the facility. The fire did not spread past the unit where it broke out — unit 204, which according to a directory map houses FPA Women's Health.

According to the company's website, "Family Planning Associates Medical Group (now FPA Women’s Health) was founded in 1969, soon after abortion became legal in California." There are several locations located across the Southland.

Though scanner traffic indicated the fire at the Temecula location was possibly arson, Newman said investigators are still looking into the cause. Radio traffic also indicated that an explosion was heard prior to firefighters' arrival at the scene.

What's more, ABC7 News reports that "a member of the cleanup crew told Eyewitness News that it looked like a Molotov cocktail was thrown through the window."

Firefighters were at the scene for about two hours.

Patch has reached out to FPA Women's Health for comment, and will update this story if and when we hear back. A sign on at the facility indicated it is "closed until further notice."

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All photos by: Joe Fanaselle