At 11:32 AM San Bernardino County Fire crews were dispatched to a reported commercial structure fire in the 1300 Block of North Arrowhead Ave in the City of San Bernardino. Numerous 911 callers stated they saw smoke and fire from a second story apartment unit.
#SBCoFD crews arrived in 4 minutes to find heavy smoke and fire showing from a second floor, end unit of a large multi-family unit apartment building. Crews immediately initiated an offensive fire attack, prioritizing evacuations & searches of effected apartments. Truck Companies deployed to the roof, performing vertical ventilation to increase survivability in the apartments and to aid in containing the fire. The fire was knocked down in approximately 15 minutes and all searches of the apartments were clear. The entire first alarm of resources arrived on scene within 9 minutes of dispatch helping crews evacuate, search for victims and quickly suppress the fire.
In total San Bernardino County Fire responded with 5 Engines, 2 Trucks, 1 Medic Squad, 1 Battalion Chief and a Fire Investigator. The fire is under investigation by #SBCoFD Office of the Fire Marshall (OFM) Investigators. At the time of the release no damages estimates were available, however multiple units received fire, smoke or water damage. Red Cross was requested to aid in temporary housing arrangements with five adults and two children.
Incident: Commercial Structure Fire
Date / Time: 2/16/2020 11:32AM
Location: 1300 Block of North Arrowhead Ave, City of San Bernardino
Contact: Mike McClintock, Battalion Chief / PIO, MMcClintock@sbcfire.org
It is important to have a plan when there are children in your home. Children sometimes need help getting out of the house. They may not know how to escape or what to do unless an adult shows them.
* Have a plan for young children who cannot get outside by themselves. You will need to wake babies and very young children and help them get out. In your plan, talk about who will help each child get out safely.
* It is important to learn two ways out of every room in your home, in case one exit is blocked or dangerous to use.
* Remember, if there is smoke, you need to get low and go to your exits. So practice getting low and moving to your exits.
* Choose a safe meeting place a safe distance from your home. Children should know what to do when they hear a smoke alarm and there is no adult around. Help them practice going to the outside meeting place. Teach them to never go back inside a building that is on fire.
* Have a home fire drill at least twice a year. So everyone can practice what to do if the smoke alarm sounds.