North Park Apartment Fire

This major fire probably happened too late to make tomorrow's papers so you are getting my first hand account of it here on the Voice.

The North Park Apartments are the large complex between Carolan Ave and Rollins Rd just south of B'way.  As I drove past the complex at 11:30 pm, the fire was just hitting the critical phase.  BPD had blocked off Cadillac Way and at least one fire engine was on the scene.  As I doubled back up Carolan from the south, an engine crew had determined that it should head over to Rollins from Carolan.  When I got out to take the photo below, I discovered why:  there is a pond in the middle of the complex that appeared to be large enough to prevent any firefighting from happening on the Carolan (i.e. the west) side of the complex's eastern buildings.  It's not a very clear photo, but I can tell you this one apartment was fully consumed.

I just hope everyone got out in time and Central County Fire can figure out how to keep the neighboring upper floor units from being consumed as well.  As you can sort of see, it was roaring and some residents appeared to be just figuring out that something serious was happening.  There are going to be some tired firefighters making pancakes at the annual breakfast tomorrow morning at the California Dr. fire house.

Here is an update with the photo of the "morning after" which is surprising for how restrained it all seems.  This is the same perspective and all you can see is some charring

And how often so you see the Red Cross in B'game delivering services--one thinks of Haiti or Japan after the tsunami, but here they are

Comments

[goose]

i live in north park & this was the type of view i haad from my window

[Joe]

Thanks, Goose. I hope you aren't one of the ones displaced per the description below from the Fire Department:

At approximately 23:15 hours or 11:15 on Friday evening we responded to a possible grease fire on the third floor.

County communications reported that all parties were told to evacuate. Upon arrival E34, Captain Bob Kelly who will retire after Sunday's shift, entered from the D side of the building or the North side. He directed T34 to bring the aerial ladder to the third floor window and bring the line in through that direction to cut off the fire from the 15 units that were uninvolved which allowed all occupants to exit safely. BC Barton commanded the fire and did an outstanding job as did all personnel.

Two units on the fire floor were totally destroyed by fire and 15 more on the fire floor were uninhabitable. 8 units below, 4 on the second and 4 on the first, had water damage. Total of 25.

25-50 people displaced. No injuries.

We went to a third alarm. 10 different agencies, 25 units and about 60 personnel.