Early morning blaze kills 1, leaves 14 homeless
An individual died, another injured and 14 people left homeless today, Feb. 12, following an early morning fire that destroyed several units in an East Quincy apartment complex.
The call came in to dispatch at 1:04 a.m. for a building on fire at the corner of First and Main streets. Quincy Fire responded as well as Meadow Valley, Greenhorn and Long Valley fire departments.
The east corner of the intersection is composed of a home, with a smaller unit behind, a two-story structure next to it, and more units behind them. They are all part of the same complex. The blaze (the cause of which is still under investigation) began in the home and spread to the smaller structure and the two-story building. The death and injury are believed to be from the standalone home.
According to Quincy Fire Chief Robbie Cassou, a passerby helped some of the individuals to safety. (UPDATE: Plumas News has since learned that 16-year-old Oliver Litchfield spotted the fire, called 911 and began rescuing people.)
The apartment manager, Sylvia Thomas, drove up to see the burning building and saw people making their way out of the structures. She said fire alarms were blaring and there were some small explosions.
Thomas said that the Red Cross was quickly on scene and took the residents to a motel. Thomas said that three adults lived in the standalone home; an elderly man in the smaller structure behind it; and two families with children, a couple, and three individuals lived in the two-story structure.
Plumas District Hospital confirmed that one person was taken to Plumas District Hospital; their status is not known at this time. Chief Cassou said the individual was taken from the home, and was not a firefighter. As it daylight appeared, the coroner was expected on scene for the fatality.
The structure is still smoking this morning and fire crews plan to remain on site all day.
More information will be shared as it becomes available.
A report of a fire came in at 1:04 a.m. this morning in a building at First and Main, and spread to an adjacent apartment building that is part of the same complex. Photo by Kimberly Eliason
Firefighters from four departments including Quincy, Meadow Valley, Greenhorn and Long Valley fought the blaze. Photo by Kimberly Eliason
A firefighter is silhouetted in front of the burning building that was called in early this morning. A passerby helped individuals escape. Photo by Joanne Burgueno
This is the scene as the sun came up this morning in East Quincy. Photo by Debra Moore
