80 Left Homeless in San Diego Fire

A fire in a three-story apartment building Saturday afternoon left nearly 80 residents homeless, the San Diego Fire Department said.

No one was injured in the fire that quickly burned through the wooden frame of the Bunker Hill Apartments in the 400 block of 20th St., said Capt. Bob Landis, a department spokesman.

Only four of the 27 units were gutted by the fire, which began shortly after 4 p.m., but another 12 units suffered heavy smoke and water damage, Landis said.

San Diego Gas & Electric Co. shut off electricity to the apartments, forcing residents to find shelter elsewhere. An American Red Cross disaster team sent to the scene helped the tenants move temporarily to a downtown hotel, Red Cross spokesman William Neumann said.

The blaze was contained within 30 minutes, but firefighters remained at the scene for several hours to make sure the fire had been extinguished.

More than 25 firefighters were sent to quell the blaze, which started in a basement apartment. Investigators believe an electrical malfunction ignited the fire, which raced up to the third floor and caused an estimated $150,000 in structural damage, Landis said.