A fire at an apartment complex in Santa Cruz on Tuesday afternoon displaced almost two dozen people. The fire broke out at 3:30 p.m. on Grant Street. “It’s determined that the cause and origin was probably in the living room secondary to some batteries on an electric bike that self-initiated a fire,” said Daniel Kline, the Santa Cruz Fire Battalion Chief. Once firefighters arrived on the scene, they were able to put out the fire fairly quickly but also had to immediately work on rescuing the few people trapped.”I didn’t even have time to react, I just went outside running down the hill,” Jesus Morales, a resident of the apartment complex, said.Fire crews initially rescued two people and sent them to nearby hospitals. Later on, a third woman was found with minor burn injuries after she tried to put out the fire with a garden hose. Two dogs were also rescued. Seven people have been displaced from their homes. Crews told us one of the units had significant fire damage, and all four units in the buildings were completely unlivable due to excessive water and smoke damage.”This is something I’ve never experienced before– like a fire like this,” said Jesus Morales.The battalion chief told us these types of fires can re-ignite several days after they’re put out due to the amount of exposure the fire had to other parts of the building.Firefighters estimate that four units sustained $1 million in damages.
A fire at an apartment complex in Santa Cruz on Tuesday afternoon displaced almost two dozen people. The fire broke out at 3:30 p.m. on Grant Street.
“It’s determined that the cause and origin was probably in the living room secondary to some batteries on an electric bike that self-initiated a fire,” said Daniel Kline, the Santa Cruz Fire Battalion Chief.
Once firefighters arrived on the scene, they were able to put out the fire fairly quickly but also had to immediately work on rescuing the few people trapped.
“I didn’t even have time to react, I just went outside running down the hill,” Jesus Morales, a resident of the apartment complex, said.
Fire crews initially rescued two people and sent them to nearby hospitals.
Later on, a third woman was found with minor burn injuries after she tried to put out the fire with a garden hose. Two dogs were also rescued.
Seven people have been displaced from their homes. Crews told us one of the units had significant fire damage, and all four units in the buildings were completely unlivable due to excessive water and smoke damage.
“This is something I’ve never experienced before– like a fire like this,” said Jesus Morales.
The battalion chief told us these types of fires can re-ignite several days after they’re put out due to the amount of exposure the fire had to other parts of the building.
Firefighters estimate that four units sustained $1 million in damages.
link