‘Renovation mishap’ leads to Mountain View apartment fire

A fire in a Mountain View apartment complex near Rengstorff Park on Saturday afternoon led to roughly $200,000 in damage and displaced 11 residents, but did not cause any injuries, according to the Mountain View Fire Department.

Just before 4 p.m. on April 11, emergency dispatches received a 911 call reporting an apartment fire in the 1900 block of California Street, according to a fire department press release. 

When crews got to the scene, flames were coming from two second-floor units and the building’s residents had already evacuated. Using thermal imaging cameras, firefighters determined that the blaze had also spread into the attic.

The flames were put out with a fire-attack hose line, the release said. Firefighters called a second alarm to get more resources to the incident and crews overhauled two adjoining kitchens, cutting open the walls and ceilings to make sure the fire was fully extinguished.

The fire originated in the kitchen of a vacant apartment, and was accidentally caused by a “renovation mishap,” according to the press release. The residents of the adjacent unit, which suffered fire damage, were displaced, as well as the residents of the unit below them, which suffered water damage.

In all, six adults and five children were impacted and the American Red Cross was called in to coordinate temporary housing arrangements. 

The Mountain View Police Department controlled traffic for two and a half hours while firefighters were on the scene. 

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