Flames engulf Arcadia apartment building; 42 residents displaced

ARCADIA, Calif. (KABC) -- A fire scorched an apartment building in Arcadia early Thursday morning, sending residents running for safety.

The blaze was reported at around 6 a.m. in the 800 block of Fairview Avenue at the Kenwood Apartments.

Firefighters arrived minutes later to find a large portion of the structure's roof engulfed in flames.

The attic and two units were on fire, authorities said. No one was seriously injured.

Residents said not a single fire alarm went off.

Donna Wilson, who had lived in the complex for 30 years, said she ran from unit to unit to help her neighbors escape the flames.

"I'm just pounding as hard as I can. I almost broke a piece of one of the glass, I didn't care. I went downstairs, I started banging on all their doors, so everybody got out," Wilson described. "It spread like you poured kerosene on something."

Wilson said everything she owned is likely gone.

"This is all I have. I'm more concerned about my pictures, because they mean the world to me. They're something I can look at to remember my mother and my father, and I look at them every day," Wilson said.

Crews from six agencies responded to battle the fire. Two firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion.

Fire officials said 14 apartment units were impacted by the blaze, and approximately 42 residents were displaced.

The fire occurred just days after the tenants said new management purchased the apartments. Residents said they were notified that their rent would be going up as much as $600 within the next two months.

Just one day ago, tenants said they had power issues.

"A transformer kind of blew up I guess," said Michael Lee, a resident.

The cause of the blaze was not immediately known. As the fire investigation continues, many residents said they are just grateful about how quickly crews responded.

"They're hot, they're tired, they're coming down, they're drinking a little bit of water, they're going back up. They're the unsung heroes," Wilson said.

The Red Cross was on scene helping residents in need.