Fire Erupts at Condominium Complex in Santa Monica

By Lookout Staff

March 5, 2018 -- Santa Monica Firefighters extinguished a "massive" fire that broke out Saturday night in a condominium complex in Ocean Park before it could spread to adjacent buildings, Fire Department officials said.

The fire broke out at around 8:40 in a six-unit building at 425 Marine Avenue, causing extensive damage to four of the three-story units and smoke and water damage to a fifth, officials said. The 6th unit was saved.

Five occupants were displaced and the building was “'red tagged' due to the heavy compromise of the structural integrity," said Captain Patrick Nulty, the department spokesman.

SMFD units, which arrived within 4 minutes and 21 seconds of the first reports, found "fire consuming the upper floors of the complex," Nulty said.

In addition, "there was a partial roof collapse and a live electrical power lines down across the front of the structure," he said.

Firefighters helped evacuate a resident who was cut off from an escape route in the burning structure, Nulty said.

Paramedics examined the resident and found she had not sustained any injures, he said.

A total of 53 Firefighters -- including all SMFD units and additional personnel from the Los Angeles Fire Department -- brought the blaze under control in 1 hour and 47 minutes, officials said.

"The fire was contained to the building of origin and kept from spreading to adjacent structures," Nulty said.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, he said.