3-alarm fire burns South El Monte yard

SOUTH EL MONTE, Calif. (KABC) -- The L.A. County Fire Department extinguished a 3-alarm yard fire near a homeless encampment in South El Monte Wednesday afternoon.

Smoke was billowing high into the air as two helicopters dropped water on the 1800 block of Chico Avenue, according to fire officials. Two patients were transported to a nearby hospital, authorities said.

There were several plastic barrels at the scene with potentially hazardous materials inside and officials were checking them for possible runoff.

Firefighters were able to knock down the fire approximately an hour after the initial call came in shortly after 12:30 p.m.