Hundreds Escape Fire At Santa Rosa Apartment Complex

SANTA ROSA, CA — A structure fire Thursday night at a Santa Rosa apartment complex caused $500,000 in damages and temporarily displaced as many as 140 residents, officials with the Santa Rosa Fire Department said. The blaze was reported at 6:52 p.m. at Nueva Vista Apartments, 1333 W. Steele Lane, just west of U.S. Highway 101.

"The first Fire Department unit arrived in under 4 minutes and found a second-story apartment and a third-story apartment heavily involved in fire," said SRFD Battalion Chief Ken Sebastiani.

As firefighters arrived they saw residents trying to escape the smoke and flames by self-evacuating onto balconies and the tops of carports. Crews rushed to provide ladders, bringing the evacuees to safety, the battalion chief said.

Additional crews were dispatched to assist with the large and complex fire.

"With an aggressive fire attack, fire crews were able to make entry into building and extinguish the fire on the second and third floors and prevented the spread of the fire," Sebastiani said.

Within 40 minutes of firefighters' arrival, the fire was contained.

Residents of two apartment buildings were displaced because of the fire and because the utilities needed to be turned off, according to Sebastiani.

• ALSO SEE: Fire Destroys Cal Fire St. Helena Facility; Causes $2M In Damages

The Red Cross responded and assisted 20 of those residents with temporary shelter.

There were no fatalities or major injuries, although a few residents did suffer minor injuries. Sebastiani said none of the injured needed to be taken to a hospital.

Damages and losses were estimated at $500,000, the majority of fire damage being to the second-story apartment of origin and the third-floor unit above it.

"There was major smoke damage to the second floor and minor smoke damage to the third floor," Sebastiani said.

A total of 38 fire personnel responded, including eight engine crews, two ladder-truck crews, one air unit crew, two chief officers, one fire investigator and one building official. Personnel with the Santa Rosa Police Department also responded to assist with the large-scale incident.

W. Steele and McBride lanes were both closed for a time Thursday night because of the fire — the cause of which remained under investigation Friday.