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Tag: apartment fire

  • Video captures Milpitas police officers rescuing toddler, dog thrown from burning apartment

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    To protect and serve took on a whole new meaning for two officers in the San Francisco Bay Area last weekend.

    Authorities in Milpitas posted video of a rescue of a family from a burning apartment building, in which a toddler and a dog were thrown off a balcony to waiting police officers below.

    According to the Milpitas Police Department, dispatchers received a call around 3:15 p.m. Saturday from residents who were trapped inside their apartment on South Park Victoria Drive.

    Two officers arrived on scene in less than two minutes and found the doors to the apartments were blocked by heavy fire.

    “I just looked up the hallway,” Officer Trevon Hartley with the Milpitas Police Department said. “There was a small hallway leading up to the 2nd floor. The door was fully engulfed in flames. Just smoke everywhere.”

    Officer Trevon Hartley was the first on the scene, getting there in just about a minute and a half since the initial call came in. Fellow officer Ricardo Barragan wasn’t far behind.

    “Getting there, you can feel the heat,” Barragan said. “You can see the smoke even more. Just going towards the building, you can see obviously, OK, we need to do something now because if we don’t, something bad can happen.”

    As the fire grew, the officers worked on a plan to rescue the family, who were on the balcony. They were told there were three people trapped in the apartment, including a 3-year-old toddler.

    Milpitas police said the officers guided the parents through the rescue, telling them to drop their 3-year-old daughter to officers waiting on the ground.

    “I got her, I got her. Drop her,” one of the officers was heard saying in a video posted by police.

    The video then shows the girl being caught by an officer and taken to safety.

    “I’m a father myself, so that’s why I was pretty focused on the child first,” Hartley said. “So, looking back on it, it makes you nervous. I’m just glad it worked out well.”

    Hartley didn’t even have time to think. He just knew he had to get the child off the balcony. The former wide receiver for the San Jose Spartans made the most valuable play of his career.

    “When we first got there, I didn’t hesitate because, in the moment, I was sure of myself,” he said. “Like, if you drop this kid, I’m going to catch her. It wasn’t even a thought or contemplation of what should I do. It was just drop her and catch her.”

    After making the heroic save, both officers weren’t quite prepared for what happened next.

    “I didn’t even know there was a dog,” Hartley and Barragan said. “Right after we caught the daughter, they instantly put the dog up. I was like oh, there’s a dog now. Here’s my dog here’s my dog.”

    Hartley and Barragan were both raised in Milpitas. Hartley lived in the same apartment complex where the fire happened. These hometown heroes are expected to be recognized by the city for their bravery. Both shy away from being called heroes. They just did what had to be done to save lives.

    “It’s strange to see yourself in that situation,” Hartley said. “There’s a lot of stuff that I don’t even remember doing, and to see some of the situations where it was scarier than I thought it was. In the moment, I’m not thinking this fire is right next to me, but to see it on video, it makes it more real.”

    Firefighters arrived and were able to evacuate the remaining occupants of the apartment, police said. No serious injuries were reported.

    “We are incredibly thankful for the calm and courage shown by the residents during such a terrifying moment, and for the seamless teamwork between our dispatchers, officers, and fire personnel,” police said in a statement Tuesday.

    In:

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    Tim Fang

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  • Gas explosion, fire on top floors of New York City apartment building kills 1, injures 14

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    A gas explosion sent fire racing through the top floors of a high-rise apartment building in New York City early Saturday, killing one person and injuring 14 others as temperatures plunged into the single digits overnight, authorities said.Firefighters responded shortly before 12:30 a.m. to the 17-story building in the Bronx, where people were seen leaning out of windows calling for help as flames engulfed parts of the top floors, officials said.Chief John Esposito said firefighters were investigating reports of a gas odor on the 15th and 16th floors when the explosion occurred. He said there was major structural damage to about a dozen apartments and fires in 10 apartments on the 16th and 17th floors.Authorities did not immediately release information on the person who died. Another person was critically injured, five had serious injuries and eight had minor injuries, officials said.Officials said the building had been undergoing renovations, and work on the natural gas system had been completed and inspected. The cause of the explosion was under investigation. The building was formerly run by the New York City Housing Authority, but it has been under private management since 2024, city officials said.”It’s an incredible tragedy. We’re sending all our thoughts to the families involved,” Leila Bozorg, deputy mayor for housing and planning, said at a morning news conference.Mayor Zohran Mamdani said all utilities in the building were shut down, and all 148 apartments vacated. Officials set up a reception center for the displaced residents at a nearby school, and the American Red Cross was there to help provide housing and other needs.”As you can imagine, this has been a deeply frightening and devastating morning for them,” Mamdani said at a news conference Saturday afternoon. “They are not alone. Our city will stand by them and do everything in our power to help them get back on their feet.”The Red Cross said it had registered more than 100 households and 305 people, including 89 children, for emergency aid by early Saturday afternoon.More than 200 fire and emergency crews worked the scene, according to the fire department. When the explosion occurred, some firefighters were trapped briefly in an elevator, officials said.”There were injuries. It was a very, very difficult night on a very cold night, which caused even more difficulty,” Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said.Around half a million New Yorkers live in aging buildings run by the city’s housing authority, known as NYCHA, which is the largest in the nation.Many of the properties date back to the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. In 2019, a federal monitor was appointed to address chronic problems like lead paint, mold and lack of heat. When he wrapped his five-year term in 2024, the monitor, Bart Schwartz, noted that the overarching issue for residents remained the “poor physical state of NYCHA’s buildings.”In October, a massive brick chimney running 20 stories up the side of a housing authority apartment building in the Bronx collapsed after an explosion, sending tons of debris plummeting to the ground but amazingly not injuring anyone. Officials linked it to a natural gas boiler.

    A gas explosion sent fire racing through the top floors of a high-rise apartment building in New York City early Saturday, killing one person and injuring 14 others as temperatures plunged into the single digits overnight, authorities said.

    Firefighters responded shortly before 12:30 a.m. to the 17-story building in the Bronx, where people were seen leaning out of windows calling for help as flames engulfed parts of the top floors, officials said.

    Chief John Esposito said firefighters were investigating reports of a gas odor on the 15th and 16th floors when the explosion occurred. He said there was major structural damage to about a dozen apartments and fires in 10 apartments on the 16th and 17th floors.

    Authorities did not immediately release information on the person who died. Another person was critically injured, five had serious injuries and eight had minor injuries, officials said.

    Officials said the building had been undergoing renovations, and work on the natural gas system had been completed and inspected. The cause of the explosion was under investigation. The building was formerly run by the New York City Housing Authority, but it has been under private management since 2024, city officials said.

    FDNY via AP

    This image provided by FDNY shows FDNY members operating at a fire on the top two floors of a high-rise apartment in the Bronx, New York City, early Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026.

    “It’s an incredible tragedy. We’re sending all our thoughts to the families involved,” Leila Bozorg, deputy mayor for housing and planning, said at a morning news conference.

    Mayor Zohran Mamdani said all utilities in the building were shut down, and all 148 apartments vacated. Officials set up a reception center for the displaced residents at a nearby school, and the American Red Cross was there to help provide housing and other needs.

    “As you can imagine, this has been a deeply frightening and devastating morning for them,” Mamdani said at a news conference Saturday afternoon. “They are not alone. Our city will stand by them and do everything in our power to help them get back on their feet.”

    The Red Cross said it had registered more than 100 households and 305 people, including 89 children, for emergency aid by early Saturday afternoon.

    More than 200 fire and emergency crews worked the scene, according to the fire department. When the explosion occurred, some firefighters were trapped briefly in an elevator, officials said.

    “There were injuries. It was a very, very difficult night on a very cold night, which caused even more difficulty,” Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said.

    Around half a million New Yorkers live in aging buildings run by the city’s housing authority, known as NYCHA, which is the largest in the nation.

    Many of the properties date back to the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. In 2019, a federal monitor was appointed to address chronic problems like lead paint, mold and lack of heat. When he wrapped his five-year term in 2024, the monitor, Bart Schwartz, noted that the overarching issue for residents remained the “poor physical state of NYCHA’s buildings.”

    In October, a massive brick chimney running 20 stories up the side of a housing authority apartment building in the Bronx collapsed after an explosion, sending tons of debris plummeting to the ground but amazingly not injuring anyone. Officials linked it to a natural gas boiler.

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  • Fire breaks out at downtown Oakland apartment building; firefighter injured

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    A three-alarm fire broke out at a multi-story apartment building in downtown Oakland Monday morning, officials said.

    The Oakland Fire Department were called to a five-story building at the corner of 19th and Broadway, near the 19th Street BART station, around 7 a.m.

    Dispatchers received multiple calls from residents, including from a woman who told CBS News Bay Area that she was trapped.

    “Opened my front door and it was just, the hallway which was black and full of smoke. I was like well, that’s not good,” said the resident, who did not want to be identified. “So, I had to call 911 and tell them unit I was in.” 

    About 50 firefighters responded to the scene.

    “Five story building, heavy fire on every floor of the building. Upon arrival, we had heavy smoke and flames,” said Fire Chief Damon Covington. “Battalion Two and Engine One and the crews did an excellent job of getting the building evacuated.”

    Three people were treated for smoke inhalation and were taken to the hospital, firefighters said, while one firefighter suffered a minor injury.

    “I’m glad I’m alright. I’m glad most of my neighbors are OK. I did see one of my neighbors get pulled away in an ambulance with an oxygen mask on, I hope he’s alright. Glad no one is dead as far as I’m aware,” the resident went on to say.  

    The building also houses several ground floor businesses, including Dope Era, a clothing store owned by Oakland rapper Mistah F.A.B. While the flames did not reach the shop, employees were seen cleaning up after the store sustained heavy water damage.

    Firefighters said the incident was placed under control around 8:40 a.m. 

    The cause of the fire was not immediately known. 

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    Tim Fang

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  • Deadly Davie apartment fire ruled an accident. Victim identified

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    A Davie apartment fire at 6857 College Court killed a 73-year-old woman. Authorities say the blaze was accidental and the State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause.

    A Davie apartment fire at 6857 College Court killed a 73-year-old woman. Authorities say the blaze was accidental and the State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause.


    Getty Images | Royalty Free

    A Friday fire at a Davie apartment complex that took the life of a 73-year-old woman was not caused by any foul play, authorities announced Monday.

    Gloria Dickenson, 73, was killed in the blaze that occurred after 10 a.m. Friday at an apartment complex in the area of 6857 College Court, Davie police said. She was inside one of the units when firefighters rushed to the scene and extinguished the fire.

    Police said the fire was deemed accidental. The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the blaze.

    READ MORE: Davie fire leaves at least one person dead, officials say

    Local 10 News spoke with neighbor Josh Greenberg who said Dickenson was a grandmother.

    “She’s a mother, she’s a grandmother,” Greenberg said. “I see her grandkids come around a lot.”

    Devoun Cetoute

    Miami Herald

    Miami Herald Cops and Breaking News Reporter Devoun Cetoute covers a plethora of Florida topics, from breaking news to crime patterns. He was on the breaking news team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2022. He’s a graduate of the University of Florida, born and raised in Miami-Dade. Theme parks, movies and cars are on his mind in and out of the office.

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    Devoun Cetoute

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  • Hong Kong fire that engulfed apartments finally doused as death toll nears 130, search for victims continues

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    Hong Kong — The death toll from a fire that tore through a Hong Kong residential complex climbed to 128 on Friday as more bodies were found in the blackened towers, authorities said. Secretary for Security Chris Tang told reporters at the scene that the search for victims was continuing and the numbers could still rise.

    The fire at the Wang Fuk Court complex started Wednesday afternoon and was only fully extinguished Friday morning. Dozens of people, including firefighters, were injured in the blaze.

    Firefighters were still combing through the high-rise complex apartment-by-apartment in a final attempt to find anyone alive after the massive fire engulfed seven of the complex’s eight towers in one of the city’s deadliest blazes ever recorded.

    Firefighters rest in front of the Wang Fuk Court residential estate following a massive, deadly fire that tore through the complex in Tai Po district, Hong Kong, China, Nov. 28, 2025.

    Leung Man Hei/Bloomberg/Getty


    Crews were prioritizing apartments from which they had received more than two dozen calls for assistance during the blaze, but which they were unable to reach due to the intensity of the fire, Derek Armstrong Chan, a deputy director of Hong Kong Fire Services told reporters early Friday morning.

    “Our firefighting operation is almost complete,” he said.

    The fire started midafternoon Wednesday in one of the Wang Fuk Court complex’s eight towers, jumping rapidly from one to the next as bamboo scaffolding covered in netting, in place for renovations, caught ablaze until seven buildings were engulfed.

    It took more than 1,000 firefighters some 24 hours to bring the five-alarm blaze under control, and almost two days later, smoke still continued to drift out of the charred skeletons of the buildings from the occasional flare-up.

    The final search of the buildings was expected to be complete later Friday, at which point officials have said they will officially end the rescue phase of the operation at the complex in Tai Po district, a northern suburb near Hong Kong’s border with mainland China.

    It was unclear how many people could be inside the buildings, which had almost 2,000 apartments and some 4,800 residents. Hong Kong leader John Lee said early Thursday morning that officials had not been able to make contact with 279 residents.

    “We will endeavor to force entry into all the units of the seven blocks concerned so as to ensure that there is no other possible casualties,” Chan said.

    Wong, a 71-year-old man, was photographed in tears outside the burning building claiming his wife was trapped inside.

    Wong, a 71-year-old man, was photographed in tears outside the burning building claiming his wife was trapped inside.

    Reuters


    He said an updated figure on the number of missing people could not be calculated until the search and rescue operation was complete.

    The apartments from which a total of 25 unanswered rescue calls were received, which are being prioritized, were primarily on higher floors, where the fire was last extinguished, he said.

    More than 70 people were injured in the blaze, including 11 firefighters, and about 900 people were housed in temporary shelters.

    Most of the casualties were in the first two buildings to catch fire, Chan said.

    Arrests amid investigation into the deadly blaze

    The apartment complex housed many older people. It was built in the 1980s and had been undergoing a major renovation. Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency said on Thursday it was investigating possible corruption relating to the renovation project.

    Three men, the directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company, have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, and police said company leaders were suspected of gross negligence.

    Police have not identified the company where the suspects worked, but The Associated Press confirmed Prestige Construction & Engineering Company was in charge of renovations in the tower complex. Police have seized boxes of documents from the company, where phones rang unanswered Thursday.

    HONG KONG-CHINA-FIRE

    A body is transferred for identification in the aftermath of a major fire that swept through several apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, Nov. 28, 2025.

    Peter PARKS/AFP/Getty


    Authorities suspected some materials on the exterior walls of the high-rise buildings did not meet fire resistance standards, allowing the unusually fast spread of the fire. There was also word on Friday that fire alarm systems in at least some of the buildings affected may not have been functioning properly.

    Police also said they found plastic foam panels – which are highly flammable – attached to the windows on each floor near the elevator lobby of the one unaffected tower. The panels were believed to have been installed by the construction company but the purpose was not clear.

    Authorities planned immediate inspections of many housing estates undergoing major renovations to ensure scaffolding and construction materials meet safety standards.

    The fire was the deadliest in Hong Kong in decades. A 1996 fire in a commercial building in Kowloon killed 41 people.

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  • Distraught family members await answers as Hong Kong fire rages on and death toll climbs

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    Distraught family members await answers as Hong Kong fire rages on and death toll climbs – CBS News









































    Watch CBS News



    Family members are awaiting answers on their loved ones as more than 200 people remain missing after a massive fire engulfed multiple buildings in Hong Kong. CBS News’ Holly Williams reports.

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  • Firefighters battle blaze at Orlando apartment complex; 7 residents displaced

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    Firefighters battle blaze at Orlando apartment complex; 7 residents displaced

    WESH TWO NEWS STARTS NOW WITH BREAKING NEWS. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I’M ALAN CAMPBELL AND I’M MEREDITH MCDONOUGH. WE BEGIN WITH THAT BREAKING NEWS OF A FIRE IN ORLANDO. WESH TWO BOB HAZEN IS LIVE AT THE ROYAL ISLES APARTMENT COMPLEX NEAR SOUTH SEMORAN BOULEVARD. BOB. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED IN THE LAST 30 MINUTES? WE TALKED TO A YOUNG LADY WHO LIVES HERE, LIVES RIGHT UNDERNEATH THAT APARTMENT THAT CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND SHE SAYS SHE WAS ABLE TO GET OUT ALONG WITH HER FAMILY. AND AS FAR AS WE’VE HEARD RIGHT NOW, NO ONE HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT IN THIS FIRE. I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE HERE. THERE’S STILL SOME FIREFIGHTERS ON THE SCENE, BUT MOST OF THEM HAVE CLEARED OUT. THIS IS IN THE SECOND STORY OF THIS APARTMENT BUILDING HERE. THE ROYAL ISLES APARTMENT, AS YOU SAID, NEAR CIMARRON, RIGHT OFF OF ROBERTO CLEMENTE ROAD. AND I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOME VIDEO FROM OUR DRONE, TOO. WE’VE HAD THIS FLYING JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT WHAT THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX LOOKS LIKE NOW, AFTER THIS FIRE. AGAIN, THIS WAS ON A SECOND STORY UNIT. THE FIRE BROKE OUT A LITTLE AFTER 4:00 THIS MORNING. SO THE PEOPLE WE TALKED TO HERE SAID THAT THEY WERE SLEEPING WHEN THEY HEARD EVERYTHING START GOING CRAZY IN THE FIRE BURNING ABOVE THEIR APARTMENT. WE AGAIN, DON’T HAVE ANY WORD OF ANY PEOPLE BEING INJURED. BUT I ALSO WANT TO SHOW YOU SOME VIDEO THAT WE GOT FROM THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THOSE FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE TOP OF THE BUILDING. AT THIS POINT, WE HAVEN’T HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE ORLANDO FIRE DEPARTMENT ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THIS. OF COURSE, WE KNOW IT’S BEEN COLD WEATHER LATELY, SO THERE’S ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY THAT THERE WAS A SPACE HEATER OR SOME OTHER KIND OF HEATING MECHANISM USED TO TRY TO KEEP PEOPLE WARM IN THEIR APARTMENT. BUT AGAIN, NO WORD FROM ORLANDO FIRE DEPARTMENT YET ABOUT WHAT DID CAUSE THIS. WE DO KNOW THEY DO HAVE THEIR INVESTIGATORS HERE AT THE SCENE AT THIS POINT, INVESTIGATING WHAT DID SPARK THAT FIRE AT THIS APARTMENT BUILDING. BUT AGAIN, JUST ONE MORE TIME. THE GOOD NEWS IS NO WORD OF ANY SERIOUS INJURIES AFTER THIS FIRE AT THIS APARTMENT BUILDING EARLY THIS MORNING COV

    Firefighters battle blaze at Orlando apartment complex; 7 residents displaced

    Updated: 7:59 AM EST Nov 13, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    The Orlando Fire Department battled an apartment fire on Thursday morning. The fire was reported at the Royal Isles apartment complex, located off Semoran Boulevard and Lake Underhill Road.Once crews arrived on scene, they found fire coming out of multiple second-floor windows of an apartment.A resident living under the unit that caught fire said that she was able to evacuate safely with her family. All occupants were out of the building before the OFD’s arrival.A video captured the moment the flames erupted from the apartment complex.The blaze caused significant damage to some units, but details about what prompted the fire were not revealed.Four occupants were treated for non-life-threatening medical complaints, according to OFD.Officials stated that seven occupants were displaced from two separate apartments due to the fire.

    ORLANDO, Fla. —

    The Orlando Fire Department battled an apartment fire on Thursday morning.

    The fire was reported at the Royal Isles apartment complex, located off Semoran Boulevard and Lake Underhill Road.

    Once crews arrived on scene, they found fire coming out of multiple second-floor windows of an apartment.

    A resident living under the unit that caught fire said that she was able to evacuate safely with her family.

    All occupants were out of the building before the OFD’s arrival.

    A video captured the moment the flames erupted from the apartment complex.

    The blaze caused significant damage to some units, but details about what prompted the fire were not revealed.

    Four occupants were treated for non-life-threatening medical complaints, according to OFD.

    Officials stated that seven occupants were displaced from two separate apartments due to the fire.

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  • 1 dead in San Francisco apartment fire in Cow Hollow neighborhood

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    A person was found dead following a fire at an apartment building in San Francisco’s Cow Hollow neighborhood Friday evening, authorities said.

    The San Francisco Fire Department said in a social media post that crews responded at 9:25 p.m. to a two-alarm fire at a 3-story apartment on Filbert Street near Van Ness Avenue. The fire was burning on the third floor of the building and was placed under control at 10:21 p.m. 

    One other person suffered minor injuries, and firefighters were able to rescue two dogs and two cats, the Fire Department said.

    Fire Chief Dean Crispen said the fire was difficult to battle once firefighters arrived.

    “We had initial reports of hoarder conditions, so a lot of materials make it challenging for us to enter, you know, we’re still confirming that, Crispen said. “Very challenging street, a lot of wires in front as you can see behind me.”

    Crispen said firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading to other apartment units.

    The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

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    Carlos E. Castañeda

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  • Woman hospitalized after apartment fire in Southeast DC – WTOP News

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    A woman is in the hospital after a fire at her apartment building in Southeast D.C. Friday morning.

    Fire crews at the scene of the apartment fire in Southeast D.C. on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025.
    (Courtesy D.C. Fire and EMS)

    Courtesy D.C. Fire and EMS

    Southwest DC apartment fire
    D.C. Fire and EMS said they got a call after 10:50 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, to go to the 2700 Block of Jasper Street for a report of a fire on the third floor of a three-story apartment building.
    (Courtesy D.C. Fire and EMS)

    Courtesy D.C. Fire and EMS

    Southwest DC apartment fire
    Fire crews putting out the fire on the third floor of the Knox Hill Senior Citizens Apartments in Southeast D.C. on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025.
    (Courtesy D.C. Fire and EMS)

    Courtesy D.C. Fire and EMS

    Southwest DC apartment fire
    The Knox Hill Senior Apartments, where the fire took place on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025.
    (Courtesy D.C. Fire and EMS)

    Courtesy D.C. Fire and EMS

    A woman is in the hospital after a fire at her apartment building in Southeast D.C. Friday morning.

    D.C. Fire and EMS said they got a call after 10:50 a.m. to go to the 2700 Block of Jasper Street for a report of a fire on the third floor of a three-story apartment building.

    They put out the fire when they got there. The woman was taken to a hospital for evaluation.

    Zackary Battle was near the Knox Hill Senior Apartments complex along Jasper Street Friday morning when he saw the smoke.

    “I ain’t waste no time cuz I know there was people still in there,” Battle said. “I ran up to the third floor. I heard a guy … He said, ‘I need help. My wife is stuck.’ … So I went towards that direction and went into the apartment.”

    Once inside, Battle was able to help get Arthur Dyson’s wife out.

    NBC 4 reported the building’s other residents — many with health and mobility issues — were evacuated to a nearby police station.

    Many were able to return by evening. The Red Cross is helping those with temporary housing needs due to the damage.

    What caused the fire remains under investigation.

    Below is a map of where the apartment fire took place:

    Map of Southeast DC apartment fire
    (Courtesy Google Maps)

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • 3 arrested and charged with arson in Arlington apartment fire – WTOP News

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    Three men have been arrested and charged with arson in a May apartment fire in Arlington, Virginia, that affected more than 30 occupants.

    Three men have been arrested and charged with arson in a May apartment fire in Arlington, Virginia, that affected more than 30 occupants and caused two injuries, county fire officials announced Friday.

    The fire happened on May 15 at the garden style apartments at 1020 S. Quebec St. and “resulted in 32 occupants being affected,” according to a news release from the Arlington County Fire Department’s Office of the Fire Marshal.

    The fire trapped several people, who had to be brought down by ladders, and at least two people inside were taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation injuries.

    Fire officials said they found evidence at the scene that indicated the fire was “suspicious in nature.” After a monthslong investigation, three men were arrested.

    Marvin Adelso Hernandez Lopez, 18, is charged with arson, conspiracy to commit arson, and fake ID and firearms related charges. Both Wilmer Agustin De Leon, 20, and Erasbiel Flores, 22, are charged with arson and conspiracy to commit arson.

    All three men are being held without bond in the Arlington County jail.

    The investigation is active and ongoing and those with information is asked to contact Arlington police at 703-228-4180, or submit an anonymous tip at 866-411-8477.

    Below is a map of the area where the apartment fire took place:

    (Courtesy Google Maps)

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Thomas Robertson

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  • Body found in San Rafael apartment fire rubble; investigators treating fire as suspicious

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    A body was found Friday in the ruins of a San Rafael apartment complex destroyed in a fire on Thursday, authorities said.

    Investigators have not confirmed whether the remains found were one of the two people listed as missing following the fire.

    Earlier Friday, authorities said that investigators looking into the cause of the fire said investigators are now treating the fire as suspicious in nature. The fire at the three-story complex on Canal Street injured several people and displaced dozens of residents. 

    All 19 units at the complex were destroyed, officials said.

    A fire investigator enters the rubble of a San Rafael apartment building destroyed by fire, August 22. 2025.

    KPIX


    “As of this morning, based on preliminary information obtained by the Marin County Fire investigation team, the cause of this fire is changing from unknown to suspicious,” said San Rafael Deputy Fire Chief Robert Sinnott at a press conference Friday morning.

    San Rafael police Sgt. Justin Graham said that the fire was suspicious based on how the fire burned and how fast it burned.

    “We will make every effort to get answers, as our first priority is to be able to provide those answers to the victims that were affected, said Graham. “But it’s going to take some time, and as we go through this process, we ask for patience.”



    Watch: San Rafael police, fire officials press conference update on apartment fire now deemed suspic

    12:03

    Graham said investigators had to wait to fully enter the building because it was unstable after being gutted by the fire. Cadaver dogs were being used to help find the missing residents, while other canines were being deployed to search for traces of any accelerants. 

    The Marin County Fire Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting in the investigation, Graham said.

    One person who was seriously injured in the fire and two others who suffered non-serious injuries were taken to a hospital. Five others were treated at the scene for minor injuries. 

    One officer was minorly injured during the operation to rescue residents during the fire; he was expected to recover and return to work shortly, Graham said.  

    Members of the public who had any information about the fire or who may have cellphone video to contact authorities.Anyone seeking to help displaced residents was urged to provide cash donations or gift cards, which can be dropped off at Canal Alliance at 91 Larkspur Street in San Rafael, instead of physical items.

    Carlos E. Castañeda

    Carlos E. Castañeda is a senior editor of news and social media for CBS Bay Area.

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    Carlos E. Castañeda

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  • Fire at San Pablo apartment kills 22-year-old, seriously injures 2 minors

    Fire at San Pablo apartment kills 22-year-old, seriously injures 2 minors

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    PIX Now morning edition 10-20-24


    PIX Now morning edition 10-20-24

    10:02

    A 22-year-old man died after being rescued from an apartment fire early Sunday morning, Contra Costa Fire said. 

    The fire happened just before 3 a.m. on the 2000 block of Manchester Avenue. 

    According to fire crews, three people were rescued from the fire. Two of the victims were minor and taken to the hospital in critical condition. 

    Contra Costa Fire said a 22-year-old was also rescued but later died. 

    The fire was extinguished by the first unit at the scene, and it did not spread to any other apartments. 

    The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

    Jose Fabian

    Jose Fabian is a web producer for CBS Bay Area where he reports on local crime, politics and breaking news. He studied political science and journalism at Sacramento State and was born and raised in Northern California.

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  • 1 person hospitalized after apartment fire in Oak Park

    1 person hospitalized after apartment fire in Oak Park

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    KNOW SO FAR. REPORTER. WHAT SOME NEIGHBORS THOUGHT WAS A FALSE ALARM TURNED OUT TO BE A REAL EMERGENCY. PEOPLE SAID DEL MAR ALL THE TIME, SO I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS THAT CAUTION TAPE ROLLING OUT, SURROUNDED BY LIGHTS AND SIRENS. I WAS BAFFLED, I JUST DIDN’T KNOW. I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. DOZENS EVACUATED THE BUILDING AS NOT TO SMOKE. WHEN I CAME OUT HERE, YOU KNOW, THEN I SMELLED THE SMOKE. WHEN I CAME, WHEN I CAME OUTSIDE. ONE WOMAN IN A WHEELCHAIR. I WROTE MYSELF OUT OF IT. SAYS SHE IS THANKFUL SHE LIVES ON THE FIRST FLOOR. THE GUY’S APARTMENT UPSTAIRS FROM ME. THERE WAS A LOT OF BANGING AND I STARTED TO SMELL THE SMOKE. SO I WENT AND PUT SOME CLOTHES ON AND WENT OUT IN THE HALLWAY AND SAID, WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE. STANDING OUTSIDE, MANY SAY THEY WONDERED IF THEIR PETS OR FURNITURE STILL INSIDE IS OKAY. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST REACTION? MY CATS, THEY’RE STILL IN THERE BECAUSE I’M DISABLED. LIKE I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO CATCH THEM. BATTALION CHIEF MARCUS REAGAN WITH THE SACRAMENTO FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS WHEN CREWS ARRIVED, AN APARTMENT ON THE SECOND FLOOR WAS ON FIRE. AT THIS POINT, ONE PATIENT WAS TRANSPORTED. UNKNOWN WHAT THOSE INJURIES WERE. IN SACRAMENTO, I’M ANAHITA JAFARI, KCRA THREE NEWS. SACRAMENTO FIRE COULD NO

    1 person hospitalized after apartment fire in Oak Park

    One person hospitalized after apartment fire in the Oak Park neighborhood

    What some neighbors thought was a false alarm turned out to be a real emergency when a fire broke out on Sunday. Caution tape, lights and sirens surrounded an apartment building at Broadway and 37th Street. Dozens evacuated the building, sharing the same thought: “What is going on?”One woman in a wheelchair said she was worried about her cats that she had to leave behind.Another woman, who did not want to share her name, said, “The guy’s apartment is upstairs from me. There was a lot of banging, and I started to smell the smoke, so I went and put some clothes on and went out in the hallway and said, ‘We need to get out of here.’” Sacramento Fire Department Battalion Chief Markus Reagan said when crews arrived, an apartment on the second floor was on fire. “At this point, one patient was transported unknown what those injuries were. They’re currently being evaluated,” Reagan said.Reagan said the cause is unknown, and it is still under investigation. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    What some neighbors thought was a false alarm turned out to be a real emergency when a fire broke out on Sunday.

    Caution tape, lights and sirens surrounded an apartment building at Broadway and 37th Street.

    Dozens evacuated the building, sharing the same thought: “What is going on?”

    One woman in a wheelchair said she was worried about her cats that she had to leave behind.

    Another woman, who did not want to share her name, said, “The guy’s apartment is upstairs from me. There was a lot of banging, and I started to smell the smoke, so I went and put some clothes on and went out in the hallway and said, ‘We need to get out of here.’”

    Sacramento Fire Department Battalion Chief Markus Reagan said when crews arrived, an apartment on the second floor was on fire.

    “At this point, one patient was transported [it is] unknown what those injuries were. They’re currently being evaluated,” Reagan said.

    Reagan said the cause is unknown, and it is still under investigation.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

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  • Gary man charged with murder, arson in Portage apartment fire that killed 87-year-old woman

    Gary man charged with murder, arson in Portage apartment fire that killed 87-year-old woman

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    PORTAGE, Ind. (WLS) — A Gary man is now charged after an 87-year-old woman died in a fire at a northwest Indiana apartment building Tuesday.

    Jesse Chabes is now charged with murder and arson, and was ordered held without bond Thursday.

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    Maria Leal died in the fire that broke out at her apartment Tuesday. Polie said K-9 officers found ignitable liquids at the scene.

    The fire department is right next to the apartment building, allowing emergency crews to arrive within just minutes. They immediately rescued a woman from her second-floor balcony.

    They found Leal in a ground floor unit. She was taken to the hospital, where she died from her injuries.

    “She was a sweet lady; she was a resident for 10 years now. So, very sweet, out of the way, very nice lady. We’re gonna miss her,” Property Manager Monica Tatum said.

    While first responders were still on scene, they said Leal’s daughter arrived, and provided information that her boyfriend had made threats to burn the apartment down earlier in the evening during an argument at a different location.

    Residents are struggling to understand the act of violence on their community.

    “It’s sad; she was a very sweet lady and very kind. Everyone liked her; it’s just tragic and mind-blowing,” Lawton said.

    Eight units were damaged by the fire, leaving many displaced for the next several weeks or months.

    “They’ve helped each other, and they were asking how they can help each other. So, it’s been amazing, and I see that happening for the next several weeks,” Tatum said.

    The American Red Cross is helping the displaced residents.

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  • 16-year-old boy arrested, accused of starting Clarksburg apartment fire – WTOP News

    16-year-old boy arrested, accused of starting Clarksburg apartment fire – WTOP News

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    A 16-year-old boy is in the process of being charged for a fire at a Clarksburg apartment building Saturday that left two residents and two firefighters hospitalized.

    Montgomery County Fire and Rescue officials battle a blaze at a Clarksburg, Maryland, apartment complex on August 17, 2024. (Courtesy Montgomery County Fire and Rescue)

    A 16-year-old boy is facing possible charges for starting a fire at a Clarksburg apartment building Saturday that left two residents and two firefighters hospitalized and killed three pets. The fire also displaced 43 people whose apartments were damaged or destroyed by the fire.

    Assistant Chief Daniel Ogren with Montgomery County Fire and EMS said Saturday that investigators quickly determined the fire was no accident.

    “After talking to the suspect, they made the decision to go ahead and charge that suspect with numerous crimes,” Ogren said.

    Few details about the charges have been released, and the boy’s name is being withheld because he is a minor.

    During his Tuesday media briefing, Montgomery County Executive Mark Elrich revealed the teen had been in trouble for “two previous, similar incidents of fire setting” before being accused of setting the fire in Clarksburg.

    Elrich said the Department of Juvenile Services released the boy after the first two fires. He expressed anger that the boy was released to his parents again after being questioned and named a suspect in the Clarksburg fire.

    “If you just simply return them to an environment where they weren’t able to get any help, even when the parents tried to get them help, all you’re doing is making this situation worse,” Elrich said.

    WTOP has reached out the Department of Juvenile Services for comment.

    On Wednesday, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office said after prosecutors “filed motions in court,” a judge made the decision to detain the boy.

    While he said he is unable to speak about this case specifically, Ogren said the department supports steps being taken, which could include detention, to prevent a suspected arsonist from committing another act in the future.

    “Our main goal is to try and get these people identified and into the system in one shape or another, so that they can get the help that they need and, ultimately, protect the citizens of Montgomery County,” Ogren said.

    He said the bottom line with this fire is the department is thankful no one was killed.

    “It could have very easily been much, much worse, given the seriousness of this fire,” he said.

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Mike Murillo

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  • Dozens displaced in two-alarm Oakland apartment fire

    Dozens displaced in two-alarm Oakland apartment fire

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    OAKLAND — A two-alarm fire Wednesday morning displaced 38 residents at a Chinatown District apartment complex, officials said.

    The fire did not cause any injuries.

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  • Shooting suspect who likely started Miami building fire in custody; 40 displaced: officials

    Shooting suspect who likely started Miami building fire in custody; 40 displaced: officials

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    MIAMI — A massive fire broke out at a four-story apartment complex in Miami on Monday morning.

    Firefighters and police officers arrived at the building just west of Interstate 95 near downtown Miami after receiving calls about a fire around 8:15 a.m., and began rescuing residents from the building’s balconies, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said during a news conference.

    Suarez said arriving first responders also found a man with gunshot wounds at the scene. He was taken to a hospital, where he was in critical condition. Officials said the shooting is part of an active investigation. They offered few other details, other than calling it an “isolated incident.”

    Officials later said a suspect in the shooting was taken into custody and likely started the fire.

    Three firefighters were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital due to heat exhaustion and were in stable condition, Suarez said during a news conference. Two have since been discharged, said Lt. Pete Sanchez, a spokesperson with the City of Miami-Fire Rescue. In addition, at least one resident was being treated for smoke inhalation, he said.

    The gunshot victim, whose name has not been released, was listed as critical, Sanchez said.

    Atlantic Housing Management, the company that manages Temple Court apartments, said in a statement that one of their employees was found shot inside the complex.

    “We are still determining the cause of these events, and we are checking for other injuries. Police are investigating, and we will help in whatever ways we can,” the management company’s statement said. “We are grieved by all that has happened today, and our thoughts and prayers are with our team member and his family and residents of the Temple Court community.”

    News helicopters showed flames rising from the building along with large plumes of smoke several hours after the fire started. At least two ladder trucks were pouring water and foam onto the building.

    The apartment complex consists of one-bedroom and studio units near the Miami River.

    SEE ALSO: Body cam video captures Atlantic City officer rescuing teen, pets from fire

    “It was a wood-frame structure which explains the intensity,” Sanchez said.

    As of early evening, Sanchez said the fire “was under control and no longer spreading, but it still needs to be extinguished.”

    Residents from the building, many of them elderly, were taken to a staging area where they were offered food and any medications they needed, Suarez said. He added that at least 20 people had been processed and were rehoused with family, and some 20 more were expected.

    “Our hope is we will be able to place them in permanent housing as quickly as possible,” he said. “Obviously people are very emotional. They might not be able to get anything that was in those units. Some are worried about their pets. It’s been very upsetting, very traumatic.”

    Suarez urged those who would like to help those impacted by the fire to contact the American Red Cross.

    Smoke from the fire was also drifting over Interstate 95, and much of downtown Miami.

    It was not immediately known whether anyone was injured in the fire.

    Frisaro reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and ABC News contributed to this report.

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  • Fire ravages Denver apartment building

    Fire ravages Denver apartment building

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    DENVER — Firefighters responded to a two-alarm fire at a Denver apartment building Saturday. No injuries have been reported.

    The fire broke out around 3 p.m. near E. Mississippi Avenue and S. Valentia Street.

    Crews arrived to find the building engulfed in heavy smoke and fire.

    The strong winds hampered firefighting efforts, according to the Denver Fire Department.

    Denver Fire said crews moved to a defensive strategy because of the weakened structure and multiple collapses.

    Flames appeared to have heavily damaged multiple units in the complex.

    The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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  • 10 killed in apartment fire in China’s Xinjiang

    10 killed in apartment fire in China’s Xinjiang

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    A fire in an apartment building in northwestern China’s Xinjiang region killed 10 people and injured nine, authorities said Friday, amid stringent lockdowns that have left many residents in the area stuck in their homes for more than three months.

    The fire broke out Thursday night in the regional capital of Urumqi, where temperatures have dropped below freezing after dark.

    Flames spread upward from the 15th floor to the 17th floor, with smoke billowing up to the 21st floor, according to multiple state media reports. The blaze took around three hours to extinguish.

    The deaths and injuries were caused by inhalation of toxic fumes, with those taken to the hospital all expected to survive, the reports said. An initial investigation appeared to show the fire was sparked from a power strip in a bedroom of one of the 15th-floor apartments.

    A Uyghur living in exile in Switzerland said he learned from a call with a neighbor that his aunt and four of her children perished in the fire.

    “She was a wonderful woman, always thinking of her children and how to treat and educate them well,” Abdulhafız Muhammed Emin said, sobbing during a phone interview. “My heart is really broken, I cannot bare it.”

    Xinjiang has been under harsh lockdowns for over three months to combat the spread of the coronavirus under China’s zero-COVID policy. The country has grappled with a wave of cases in recent weeks, causing rolling lockdowns and rigid travel restrictions affecting hundreds of millions of people.

    Videos circulated on social media showed an arc of water from a distant fire truck falling short of the fire, sparking waves of angry comments online. Some said fire engines had been blocked by pandemic control barriers or by cars stranded after their owners were put in quarantine, but the reason why the truck was far away was unclear.

    Many Xinjiang residents are frustrated with China’s harsh COVID-19 controls. In September, some reported hunger amid spotty food deliveries.

    Xinjiang “is an open-air prison,” Muhammed Emin said. “The Chinese government doesn’t care about their lives.”

    Urumqi mayor Memtimin Qadir apologized to the city’s residents during a press conference late Saturday and announced the formation of a government team to investigate the fire.

    During the press conference, Urumqi authorities said that fire escape doors were not locked and that residents were permitted to go downstairs “for activities” since the community was designated as a “low COVID-19 risk area.”

    “Some residents’ ability to rescue themselves was too weak … and they failed to escape in time,” said Li Wensheng, head of the Urumqi City Fire Rescue department.

    Muhammed Emin disputes that account, citing social media posts saying that many apartment residents were locked in their homes due to COVID-19 controls. Another post said that residents were permitted downstairs for only a few hours a day, and were not free to come and go from the building. The Associated Press could not independently verify the claims in the social media posts.

    Urumqi has not experienced a major recent outbreak, with just 977 cases reported Friday, almost all of them asymptomatic. However, as in many parts of China, local officials fearful of losing their jobs are leaning toward more extreme measures to prevent outbreaks within their jurisdictions.

    The tragedy comes days after 38 people died in a fire at an industrial trading company in central China caused by welding sparks that ignited cotton cloth.

    Four people have been detained over the fire Monday in the city of Anyang and local authorities ordered sweeping safety inspections to root out potential dangers.

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  • 2 dead, 2 critically hurt in Thanksgiving morning apartment fire in the Bronx

    2 dead, 2 critically hurt in Thanksgiving morning apartment fire in the Bronx

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    MORRIS HEIGHTS, Bronx (WABC) — Two people, a 20-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man, have died from injuries suffered in an early Thanksgiving morning fire in the Bronx.

    Two other women remain in critical condition at area hospitals.

    The fire broke out in a second floor apartment on Harrison Avenue in Morris Heights at around 5:30 a.m.

    Neighbors said thick black smoke poured out of the apartment before the sound of screams.

    “She’s saying, ‘My mother, my sister and my father’s in there,’ I started kicking the door down, opened up and black smoke came out,” neighbor Miguel Jiminez said.

    The victims were later identified by police as 20-year-old Odalys Aramboles and her father, 60-year-old Perfecto Aramboles.

    His wife, Lorenza Suarez, and her daughter, 42-year-old Rosana Suarez, were identified as the women still in critical condition.

    “Very little we can say but to be there for them, to let them know that we have their back, some of the neighbors are putting together a GoFundMe for the family,” said NYC Councilmember Piepieriana Sanchez.

    The blaze is being investigated as a possible electrical fire. There is discussion it started in a hallway closet next to the kitchen, but the investigation continues.

    The cause remains under investigation.

    ALSO READ | Pandemic learning loss hits New York City minority students hardest

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