Pre-arrival video: Explosions & fire at Santa Monica apartment with residents escaping via windows & fire escapes.
Click here to follow STATter911.com on Facebook (hit “like”)
Above and below are four of the many videos taken on Friday afternoon of a fire inside a 53-unit apartment building at 1305 Second Street at Arizona Avenue in Downtown Santa Monica. A number of explosions can be heard on the videos. According to news reports, the blasts possibly came from oxygen tanks in the burning apartment.
Three views of 1305 Second Street in Santa Monica. Click here for Bing Map’s Bird’s Eye View of the area and here for the street view from Google.
There was a significant life-safety hazard with many elderly living there. As you will see on the videos, a number of residents needed assistance in exiting, including one woman who dropped down from a fire escape into the arms of people who ran up to help. Three people were treated for smoke inhalation and minor injuries. The fire was contained to the apartment where it started.
Ashley Archibald at the Santa Monica Daily Press:
Residents, mostly elderly, got out through first floor windows and a fire escape, although some had to be evacuated from the second floor, said SMFD Capt. Michael McElvaney.
The fire department has conducted drills at the building in the past because its U-shape and “old school” fire escapes present unique challenges, said SMFD Capt. Judah Mitchell.
“We want to be on our A-game,” Mitchell said.
Jenna Chandler at Santa Monica Patch:
The cause is under investigation but a couple of residents said they heard popping sounds before the fire broke out, possibly from exploding oxygen tanks.
“I was just so glad to get out, I’ve never seen so much smoke in my life,” said resident Michael Silva. “My apartment filled up with smoke… in less than 30 seconds.”
Silva escaped out a window with the help of police officers after a neighbor, Navy veteran Brian Helip, started telling residents to get out of the building.
Do you want to sell a rig? Click HERE to find out how with SellFireTrucks.com.
One coming out a window, with another on a fire escape and more to come as a ground floor apartment burns and sends smoke through the 53-unit building.
