SACRAMENTO, Calif. --
A five-alarm fire at a south Sacramento apartment complex on Wednesday morning caused more than $1 million in damage and displaced a dozen families, authorities said.
The blaze, which started shortly after 7 a.m., gutted or damaged 12 units at 7283 Florin Mall Drive, just south of Florin Mall.
Black smoke billowed skyward and firefighters swarmed over the outside of the building in an effort to get a handle on the flames, which were being fanned by a breeze.
The fire appeared to be centered in the attic of the apartment building.
More than 60 firefighters battled the fire. A truck sprayed water on the fire from above. Firefighters monitored the area Wednesday afternoon, long after the flames were knocked down.
One resident suffered a sprained ankle, but no serious injuries were reported. Firefighters did a sweep of the building and found nobody trapped.
Several residents, many with tears in their eyes, stood huddled outside of the complex watching firefighters at work. One woman said she lost all of her possessions, including family birth certificates.
Residents said their smoke alarms did not go off. However, since the blaze appeared to get a foothold in the attic, many smoke alarms inside apartments did not activate.
A fire official said an electrical problem likely caused the blaze.
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