CAJON PASS >> Angry owners flooded social media with complaints over the weekend that they had been charged $1,000 or more in towing fees after being forced to abandon their cars caught Friday in the 15 Freeway firestorm.

“They are charging $220 an hour to all those people that abandoned their cars at … Cajon Pass yesterday,” Michelle Sepulveda wrote on her Facebook page. “The family my brother saved yesterday is having to pay well over $2,600 to get her car out and every hour she waits, the more it goes up.”

• Photos: North fire burns homes, cars near Cajon Pass

California Highway Patrol officials quickly acted on the multiple complaints, opening an investigation into the allegations.

“We called in several tow companies we had on rotation,” Inland CHP spokesman Steve Carpia said. “When we learned of the complaints we began to investigate, eventually resolving this issue.”

Richard Monroy, the manager of Gonzales Tow, 11690 Barlett Ave., Victorville, released a statement Sunday saying, “Our company does not operate on people’s hopelessness, and any illegal activity or overcharging,” he said. “We understand the public’s concerns and decided we will not be a tow company who will profit from the obvious situation.”

Monroy said that the time involved clearing vehicles from the freeway will be donated to San Bernardino County.

• More Coverage: Cars, homes destroyed as 3,500-acre North fire burns Cajon Pass, 15 Freeway

Gloria Chairez, who owns the AZX Auto Transport operation in Fontana, has a powerful message aimed at tow companies accused of gouging victims whose cars had to be towed.

“They should be mad at the towing companies,” she said. “I own my own car carrier company. I went up to carry their cars down for free because it was the right thing to do.”

She said the CHP asked for volunteers to help clear the vehicles from the site to a dirt lot near the Highway 138 turnoff.

“The owners of the vehicles were told to leave their keys so their cars could be moved yet most didn’t,” she said. “I couldn’t believe the tow companies were literally clawing and fighting for those vehicles, adding up the dollars as each one they obtained.”

“They are a sorry part of my industry,” she added.

Twenty vehicles on the freeway were destroyed by flames when drivers couldn’t escape the fire, and 10 more were damaged, officials said.