FREMONT — One person was killed and three others were injured Sunday morning in a two-alarm fire at an apartment complex that left dozens of residents displaced, authorities said.
It remains under investigation if the person killed and the person critically injured, who were residents of the fourth-floor unit where the fire started, accidentally fell to the ground from the balcony or if they plummeted while trying to drop to the balcony of a unit below them after being trapped by the blaze, authorities said.
The gender and name of the person killed has not yet been released.
The fire erupted about 2:53 a.m. Sunday in an apartment in building 25 of the Waterstone Apartments at 3939 Bidwell Drive. The building houses 30 units, authorities said.
The first fire engine arrived on scene within minutes and found heavy fire conditions venting from the unit, authorities said.
The two residents who had been on the balcony of the burning unit were found on the ground. One was pronounced dead at the scene and the other was transported to a hospital and was in critical condition.
Another resident of the unit was in serious condition after being able to get to safety on their own. A fourth person was treated and released at a hospital. Authorities are trying to confirm if that person is a resident of the unit where the fire started or an adjacent unit.
Authorities have not yet specified the relationship between the people where the apartment fire started.
Fire Department spokeswoman Aisha Knowles said the first battalion chief on scene requested a second alarm, which brought more than 30 firefighters to the scene.
Firefighters immediately began rescue efforts, all while coordinating fire extinguishment and ventilation of the building.
The fire was brought under control quickly, with all property loss and hazards mitigated by 3:40 a.m., authorities said.
Dozens of residents of the building were displaced due to widespread smoke and water damage, Knowles said. The building was “red tagged” by city inspectors, meaning it is not habitable.
Firefighters were working closely with property management representatives and the American Red Cross to provide resources for those displaced.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by Fremont Fire Department fire investigators and the Fremont Police Department.
A damage figure has not been determined.
Check back for updates on this developing story.