Apartment Building Blaze in Van Nuys Uproots 130 People

Fire raced through a three-story apartment complex in Van Nuys on Friday, injuring three people, displacing all 130 residents and causing an estimated $260,000 damage, authorities said.

Two residents, whose identities were not immediately available, were taken to Valley Presbyterian Hospital, where they were treated for smoke inhalation, said Jim Wells, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department. Wells said one firefighter, who also was not identified, was taken to Northridge Hospital Medical Center, where he was being treated for first-degree burns on his ears.

The fire was reported at 6:17 p.m. at the Saticoy apartment complex in the 15800 block of Saticoy Street, Assistant Fire Chief Alan T. Schroeder said. He said it took 100 firefighters about 30 minutes to bring the blaze under control. The cause of the fire is under investigation, he said.

“The fire started on the second floor, possibly in one room, and spread through the hallways,” Schroeder said. “We had to evacuate all 30 units. About 130 people will be displaced.”

American Red Cross Disaster Services set up a temporary shelter for the residents at the Van Nuys High School gymnasium at 6535 Cedros Ave. Wells said about 100 people had signed up to stay at the shelter. Other residents said they would stay with friends and relatives.

Sumner Blaha, a Red Cross volunteer, said family service counselors will help those displaced residents who cannot return to the Saticoy complex to find permanent housing.

Many residents were returning home from work or sitting down to dinner when the fire broke out.

Victor Sanchez, who was not home at the time, said his wife, Roberta, and their five children “smelled something burning, opened the door and saw the hallway full of smoke.” His wife then started shouting for everyone to get out of the building, he said.

“We must thank the Lord we are all alive,” he said.

Antoinette Hunter, another resident, said she was at home with her husband, their three children and a friend when the fire broke out.

“My husband opened the door and he saw nothing but black smoke,” said Hunter, whose family lives on the third floor. All six jumped from their third-floor balcony to a second-floor balcony and to the ground, she said.

Wells, who estimated the damage at $260,000, said fire gutted most of the second and third floors of the complex. He said there was extensive water damage to the first floor.

Fire officials said they had not determined who owned the building, and its manager could not be located Friday night.