A routine plumbing repair turned into a nightmare wake-up call in Riverside on Friday morning, when a fast-moving fire ripped through the University Riverside Gardens apartment complex, just off the UC Riverside campus. Thick smoke rolled across the area as residents bolted from their units, watching flames punch through the roof and race along the open attic space of the garden-style building. Dozens of apartments ended up gutted or badly charred, but officials said no one was hurt.
Where it happened
Fire crews arrived at 3996 Iowa Ave., the University Riverside Gardens complex, to find a major chunk of the building already on fire. Roughly 50 of the building's 112 units were damaged, and officials estimated that about 115 to 150 people were forced out of their homes, according to the Los Angeles Times.
How the blaze started
Riverside fire officials told reporters the blaze appears to have started accidentally, when a contractor using a blowtorch to repair plumbing inside a wall sparked a fire that tracked into the attic. Once in that space, the flames spread quickly through the building, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.
Firefighting response
Roughly 100 firefighters, backed by more than two dozen engines from Riverside city and county units along with Ontario and Cal Fire crews, swarmed the scene to battle the blaze. They rolled out water towers to hammer the flames from above as teams worked the ground to keep the fire from jumping further. Division Chief Jeff White said, "Water tower operations are up to put as much water on this fire as we can," while crews hunted for lingering hot spots, according to CBS Los Angeles.
Shelter and assistance
With so many tenants suddenly without a place to sleep, city officials opened a temporary care center at Bordwell Park and called in the American Red Cross to help displaced residents, NBC Palm Springs reported. Some residents whose units were spared were briefly allowed back inside to grab essentials, while others were put up in hotels or shelters as inspectors checked the building's structural safety.
What comes next
UC Riverside confirmed that emergency crews were responding to the incident at 3996 Iowa Ave. and warned that smoke had drifted across the west side of campus on its Campus Status page. Investigators are expected to move into the building once it is cleared as safe to enter. Officials said anyone needing help is being directed to campus and community resources, and UCR has urged students to contact Basic Needs at 951-827-3663 or [email protected] for support, CBS Los Angeles reported.
