Calif. Firefighter Injured in Four-Alarm Apartment Blaze

A four-alarm fire at a Mountain View apartment complex destroyed at least five units and caused minor injuries to one firefighter Monday afternoon, fire officials said.

First reported at 3:26 p.m., the smoky blaze at the Dana Garden Apartments, 200 E. Dana Street, drew more than 60 firefighters from six agencies, including Palo Alto and Moffett Field, said Mountain View fire Chief Bradley Wardle. The fire was brought under control by about 5 p.m.

Winds presented a challenge to firefighters, but modern construction techniques and a quick response kept the blaze from spreading to the rest of the complex, Wardle said. At least one firefighter suffered minor injuries but no residents were hurt, according to fire department spokeswoman Jamie Garrett.

"This is a big deal for us," Wardle said when asked about the size of the response. "It had the possibility of running through the whole (complex)."

The sprawling Dana Garden Apartments is comprised of six two-story buildings containing a total of 149 units. The fire broke out in unit 57, located on the second floor of building C, an assistant apartment complex manager said.

The blaze destroyed at least five units and another five likely sustained excessive smoke and water damage, Wardle said. A total of 26 units were affected, according to Garrett. Firefighters were still working as of midnight to determine the cause of the fire and put a price tag on the damage.

A handful of

residents and neighbors gathered near the water-soaked scene to watch firefighters work.

Karol Smedts, who lives at the apartment complex with her mother and father, said she was alerted to the blaze by a woman running down the street.

"We heard someone screaming, 'Fire, fire!' " said Smedts, 25, adding that her family called 911 and then moved two cars to the nearby Gold's Gym parking lot.

Raquel Kirby, a resident of the adjacent Moorpark Mobile Homes, said her father woke her

up to tell her about the blaze. Firefighters closed the Moorpark Way entrance to the mobile home park.

"I wanted to make sure that everybody was OK and the fire was out before I went home," Kirby said as she watched firefighters spray water into a second-story window. "They told me everybody is OK, so I feel better."

The American Red Cross Silicon Valley Chapter provided food, temporary shelter and care for residents affected by the fire Monday night. The organization said it will continue to work with residents who are displaced permanently, as well as provide emergency housing, emotional support and assistance with replacing lost items. Residents may call 1-877-727-6771 for help.

Copyright 2012 - Palo Alto Daily News, Calif.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service