20 Apartments Affected By Fire In Murrieta, Several Residents Displaced

MURRIETA, CA — Twenty apartment units were affected and several residents displaced by a two-alarm fire that broke out Monday afternoon at the Waterstone complex in Murrieta.

The blaze was reported at 1:48 p.m. at the apartment complex located at 24850 Hancock Avenue near the intersection of Las Brisas Road.

"Upon arrival, crews encountered heavy fire conditions," according to Murrieta Fire & Rescue. "Due to the intensity of the flames, a defensive firefight was initiated in the primary apartment unit to prevent further extension."

Additional resources were brought into the city to help contain the blaze and to ensure adequate coverage for other service calls, according to the fire department.

No injuries were reported.

It's not immediately clear how many Waterstone residents were displaced. The American Red Cross was contacted to provide assistance and resources to those affected.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The Waterstone fire marked the third structure fire in the city on Monday and the second two-alarm fire within the last 12 hours, Murrieta Fire & Rescue reported Monday afternoon.

There was no indication from authorities that the fires were related.

In the aftermath of the blazes, Murrieta Fire & Rescue once again reminded all residents to install working smoke alarms.

"Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of your home, inside each bedroom, and outside sleeping areas," the agency said. "Test your alarms monthly and replace any unit that is more than 10 years old. In the event of a fire, remember to get out, stay out, and call 9-1-1 immediately."