A 5-alarm fire swept through a San Jose apartment complex early Tuesday, sending four residents to the hospital and another 10 were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene, authorities said.
Fire crews raced to the scene of the blaze at 2079 McLaughlin Ave. after getting several 911 calls around 5:53 a.m. Arriving crews found heavy smoke, flames and residents needing assistance. The fire was quickly elevated to 5 alarms bringing in aid from neighboring cities. While they were getting ready for their day, complex residents Marcos Musquez and his wife heard sirens and went outside.
“When I looked up, you could see there was a bunch of people yelling from the balcony, asking for help,” he told KPIX 5. “There was so much some from both of the buildings…There was a family trapped on the balcony…They were screaming for help…It was pretty scary.”
Firefighters were forced to navigate their ladders in between the trees to get to the family, Musquez added.