Thirty people were displaced following an apartment fire in North Long Beach where roughly 12 residential units suffered damage, according to officials. Fire crews battled the large blaze that started around 1:30 p.m. Thursday at an apartment building in the 2800 block of Artesia Boulevard.
Neighbors said the chaotic situation started with a bit of smoke but before they knew it, the 65-unit apartment complex erupted in flames. “It was horrible,” said Bre G., a resident who lives above where the blaze broke out. “It was all black smoke and then the roof collapsed.”
Fire officials confirmed there were “multiple partial roof collapses” before crews were able to knock down the flames. Dozens of firefighters were deployed to battle the roaring third-alarm blaze that neighbors say started in a bottom unit.