Six displaced in Modesto apartment fire

Six people were displaced by a two-alarm fire at an apartment complex across the street from Memorial Medical Center on Coffee Road.

Firefighters were dispatched to a report of smoke coming from one of the units of the Sierra Glen Apartments at 3:06 p.m., said Modesto Fire Department Battalion Chief Hugo Patino.

He said the initial response was for a potential structure fire, but “when I turned the corner onto Coffee off of Scenic, I saw what I thought was smoke, and by the time I got to Locke (Road), I did see smoke drifting across the roadway.”

Patino upgraded the response to a two-alarm working structure fire, bringing additional engine companies and the fire chief.

When firefighters arrived, flames were coming from a downstairs apartment and had spread to the unit above.

Firefighters needed 15 to 20 minutes to get the fire under control. They cut a hole in the roof to ventilate and release heat from the apartments.

Two units were damaged by fire and two others were affected by smoke, causing an estimated $75,000 in damage to the structure and about $50,000 to its contents.

One resident was evaluated for smoke inhalation, said Modesto Fire Department spokeswoman Jessica Smart.

She said the cause of the fire was accidental, possibly the result of a mounted air-conditioning unit.

Six adults from four apartments were displaced and received assistance from the American Red Cross, Patino said.

This story was originally published April 20, 2015 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Six displaced in Modesto apartment fire."