Fire Damages Pleasant Hill Condo Building

At a Pleasant Hill condominium building fire Monday, firefighters awoke a midafternoon sleeper, who was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation treatment.

Damage was estimated at $350,000 in the two-alarm fire at 374 Camelback Road, Pleasant Hill. The fire was reported at 3:19 p.m. and under control by 3:41 p.m. Monday.

The fire appears to have started in the kitchen of the units where the sleeper was located, but the cause is still under investigation, reported Lewis Broschard, fire marshal for the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.

The following comes from a Fire Protection District press release:

Two responding fire engines reported heavy smoke visible shortly after leaving their stations and the first fire engine arrived in less than 5 minutes to find heavy fire coming from the second floor of the building.  A second alarm was called immediately for additional assistance.

Firefighters initiated a search of the units in the affected building and began aggressive interior firefighting operations. The occupant of the unit involved in fire was found in a downstairs bedroom and assisted out by firefighters – he was transported to a local hospital as a precaution for smoke inhalation.  No other injuries were reported.

A total of 30 firefighters from six engines and three ladder trucks with one breathing support unit and three chief officers were able to bring the fire under control within approximately 20 minutes of their arrival.

The involved unit sustained major damage and one adjacent unit was also damaged and uninhabitable. Assistance for the displaced residents was provided by the American Red Cross.

The occupant of the unit where the fire originated was asleep and not awakened until firefighters entered his bedroom. It is not immediately known if the unit was equipped with working smoke alarms.

Residents are reminded and strongly encouraged to install and maintain working smoke alarms in every bedroom of their dwelling and in the hallway immediately outside the bedrooms with at least one smoke alarm located on every level of the dwelling to ensure adequate notification and enough time to leave in the event of a fire. 

Kitchen appliances, stoves, and ovens must be monitored while being used and must be turned off when no longer in use; they should never be left unattended while still turned on. Combustible materials should be moved a safe distance away from stovetops to ensure they can’t catch fire.

For additional cooking safety tips and information on residential smoke alarms, see the district's website.