Careless smoking blamed in Pasadena fire that displaced 19
Careless smoking started a fire in a Pasadena apartment complex that caused more than $500,000 in damage and displaced 19 people, injuring four.
Someone carelessly discarded a cigarette onto a couch on the balcony of the complex, said Lisa Derderian, a spokeswoman for the Pasadena Fire Department.
The fire was reported Monday around 2 a.m. at the complex in the 270 block of E. Penn Street, between Garfield and Marengo avenues, she said.
Some people were forced to jump from the second story because flames kept them from going down the stairs, Derderian said. Children were handed to neighbors through windows.
Four adults were taken to hospitals with minor injuries, she said.
The complex was mainly occupied by members of the same family, Derderian said. Red Cross officials were assisting the extended family.
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