Massive blaze, multiple explosions, rock Hemet as apt. car port destroyed in suspicious fire

HEMET —Several people were injured while fleeing from an enormous blaze that destroyed a car port and numerous vehicles at a Hemet apartment complex early this morning. The massive fire happened at the Carson Street Apartments, at 602 and 626 Carson St., northwest of N. Santa Fe St. and E. Oakland Ave.

At least three people were injured trying to escape the destructive fire and 100 foot flames that consumed a car port and destroyed more than a half-dozen vehicles and damaged at least 13 others, according to fire officials.

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City of Hemet Police and Fire Departments along with other emergency first responders were dispatched to the scene just after 1 a.m., after receiving several 911 calls reporting “multiple explosions and people trapped” inside the complex, Hemet Fire Battalion Chief James Majchrazk explained from the scene after this morning’s fire was extinguished.

Hemet police officers arrived at the chaotic scene within moments of the dispatched call and reported a huge and growing fire, with multiple explosions emanating from the car port area of the complex.

Officers advised incoming firefighters that the fire was threatening to extend from the car port area to the nearby complex, which include two buildings that feature about three dozen upstairs and downstairs units.

Based on the immediate threat to people who live at the complex, officers immediately began evacuating residents, most of whom were asleep when the massive fire erupted.

Many residents who were already scrambling from their apartments quickly found their one and only escape route out of the complex and away from the flames blocked by what was later described by officials as a “wall of fire.”

All three of the reported injuries were believed to have occurred when terrified citizens were attempting to flee from the fire out apartment windows and over a tall, spiked, wrought iron perimeter fence that surrounds the complex. Various articles of clothing, including pajamas and sleep wear – torn from the bodies of victims as they scrambled over the 7-foot fence – could later be seen stuck to the spikes – showing the path victims took while fleeing from the blaze.

Residents of the complex as well as surrounding neighborhood could be heard frantically screaming loved one’s names, searching for missing friends and family, and crying hysterically over the pandemonium that surrounded the scene.

Within minutes firefighters began arriving at the complex and quickly assessed the situation, realizing the full gravity of the dangerous and potentially deadly situation.

“When we arrived on scene, there was so much heat and so many flames,” Majchrazk explained. “It was a massive amount of fire and flames were shooting 100 feet in the air.”

“When I showed up, I was writing off the building,” Majchrazk continued, saying this morning’s blaze was one of the biggest fires he had seen during his 26-year career as a firefighter.

Based on the size of the blaze, ongoing explosions, and the threats to the two apartment buildings as well as other nearby residences, Majchrazk said he “immediately upgraded the assignment,” requesting mutual aid and additional resources from Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire.

In all, three Hemet Fire engine companies and one truck company, as well as two Cal Fire engine companies and one truck company responded to the huge fire.

Once fire officials arrived and confirmed all of the complex occupants had been evacuated by first responding police officers, firefighters set up a defensive line and began an immediate and aggressive attack on the fire.

With the combined efforts of more than two dozen city and county firefighters, officials eventually managed to knock down the blaze, which completely destroyed the car port as well as all the vehicles within and around it. The fire also spread to a field and other nearby vegetation before firefighters achieved full knockdown.

However, thanks to the quick response and police and firefighter’s efforts, officials were able to keep the fire from extending into the apartment building, with no substantial damage to the two buildings within the complex, explained Majchrazk.

Among the injured was a woman who reportedly broke or injured her foot jumping out of a window, and another resident, Savannah Sanperio, sustained several injuries to her arms as well as a deep gouge to her abdomen while fleeing over the tall, spiked, perimeter fence.

Both women were treated at the scene and the victim with the foot injury was transported to Hemet Valley Hospital for treatment. She was later released and returned to the complex to assess the damage caused by the fire.

No information was available regarding a third reported victim, but all injuries were determined to be minor, according to Majchrazk.

After firefighters managed to extinguish the fire, they immediately began focusing their investigation near a specific car parked near the middle of the car port as well as a laundry room, where a witness reported seeing a man fleeing from just after the first explosions and flames were reported. Although believed to have been injured, that person was not immediately located.

Majchrazk later said firefighters determined the origin of the fire had not begun in the laundry room as some residents believed, but had most likely begun within the car port.

“How the fire started is suspicious, but there’s no evidence yet that it was arson,” said Majchrazk.

After the fire, several apartment residents discussed the blaze, including Sanperio.

“We heard explosion after explosion after explosion,” the victim later told ABC7 News, saying that in the initial panic to escape the fire she lost track of her brothers and sister.

“We all had to jump that fence to exit, kids getting thrown over,” she explained – continuing, “crying kids that we don’t even know whose kids it was were getting thrown to us.”

Although Sanperio’s new vehicle was destroyed by the blaze, she later said, “Seeing (the fire), hearing it, going through it, feeling it…material stuff doesn’t even matter.”

Another resident of the complex, Jasmine Wilson, described hearing multiple explosions and said, “At that point I’m like, what else is going to blow up?”

Despite the extensive damage and destruction caused by the blaze, Wilson explained, “It could have been so much worse and I’m just grateful it wasn’t.”

Although about 20 people were initially displaced by the blaze and Red Cross representatives had responded to the scene to assist those effected by the fire, Majchrazk later updated that because the blaze had not extended from the apartment car port to the actual complex, all residents had been able to return to their homes.

Majchrazk later thanked Hemet police officers for their quick and decisive response in evacuating and rescuing the apartment residents saying, “Our relationship with them is really good,” and the Battalion Chief described that the officers were instrumental in ensuring there were no fatalities caused by the massive blaze.

Firefighters spent several hours at the scene conducting overhaul and mop up operations as well as their investigation into how the fire began and were still at the scene long into the morning and early afternoon.

As of this report, the cause of the fire remained unknown and under investigation.

Anyone with information about the blaze or its possible origin is encouraged to contact Hemet Fire officials at (951) 765-2450. Callers can remain anonymous.

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Will Whelan/Hemet Valley Incidents video

Timothy Franzese/Public Safety Incidents video

 

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Trevor Montgomery, 46, recently moved to Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations, including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook, as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and The Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.